NORTHERN IRELAND

Crime Prevention: Northern Ireland

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding guidelines there are for community safety partnerships in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: The community safety unit of the Northern Ireland Office has allocated a total of £6.175 million to Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) to deliver local initiatives and projects over the 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 financial years. The indicative allocation for each CSP has been determined using a funding formula which takes account of population, levels of recorded crime and deprivation in each locality. As part of these funding arrangements, CSPs are required to submit annual action plans supported by a strategic assessment of local needs and to agree to a set of terms and conditions. In addition, they have been directed to take cognisance of the NIO Safer Communities Public Service Agreement Key Performance Indicators around reducing antisocial behaviour incidents and violent crime and to contribute to a range of regional priorities for community safety.

Departmental Drinking Water

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with reference to the answer of 24 November 2008,  Official Report, column 881W, on departmental hospitality, what the origins are of the water used.

Shaun Woodward: The water used on departmental hospitality was sourced in either the UK or Ireland.
	My Department's general policy is to use tap water where it is available.

Departmental Drinking Water

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many litres of water were used by his Department's water coolers in each of the last 12 months.

Shaun Woodward: Information on the number of litres of water used by my Department is not held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	My Department's general policy is to use tap water where it is available.

Departmental Sick Leave

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with reference to the answer of 18 November 2008,  Official Report, column 260W, on departmental sick leave, which illnesses resulted in working days being lost.

Paul Goggins: The 15,287.57 working days lost within the Northern Ireland Office for the period 1 October 2007 to 30 September 2008 have been recorded under the following 11 categories:
	Musculoskeletal;
	Blood and Cardiovascular;
	Respiratory;
	Digestive, Endocrine, Renal;
	Nervous System, Eyes, Ears;
	Pregnancy-related/Post-natal;
	Psychiatric/Psychological;
	Viral/Bacterial Infections;
	Injury/Accident/Assault;
	Medical Tests and Observation; and
	Non-specific/Other.

Departmental Sick Leave

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with reference to the answer of 18 November 2008,  Official Report, column 260W, on departmental sick leave, how many people were absent for more than a month due to ill health in the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: Statistics provided by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency show that 164 staff in the Northern Ireland Office had one or more periods of long-term absence due to ill health in 2007-08. Long-term absence is defined as a period of 20 working days or more.

Departmental Sick Leave

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with reference to the answer of 18 November 2008,  Official Report, column 260W, on departmental sick leave, what steps are being taken to reduce the number of working days lost.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office has a series of policies and procedures in place which aim to reduce the number of working days lost through illness. These include:
	daily monitoring of sickness absence;
	referral of absent staff to occupational health professionals for independent assessment of their fitness for work;
	meetings of the Welfare Support Service with staff to focus on how to facilitate an early return to work;
	staff returning from long term absence can return sooner by way of phased returns;
	Welfare Support Services are available to meet with staff who are in work to help deal with issues which might otherwise cause them to be absent from work;
	staff are encouraged to attend organised Health Awareness events;
	fitness programmes are offered to NIO staff annually to encourage staff to improve their physical and emotional health;
	variable working patterns are available to staff to enable a work life balance to be achieved;
	mandatory return to work interviews are conducted to ensure that managers understand the reasons for absence and staff understand the consequences of absence;
	cases where staff have repeated or persistent absence are considered individually and inefficiency due to absenteeism can ultimately lead to dismissal.

Departmental Sick Leave

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many working days have been lost through sickness absence by Northern Ireland Office staff in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: The following table details the number of working days lost through sickness absence within the Northern Ireland Office in each of the last five years. The Northern Ireland Office employs Northern Ireland civil servants and Home civil servants. The figure for 2003-04 includes Northern Ireland civil servants only. The remaining figures include Northern Ireland civil servants and Home civil servants.
	
		
			   Total days absence 
			 2003-04 16,592.5 
			 2004-05 18,364.5 
			 2005-06 17,313.3 
			 2006-07 18,631.8 
			 2007-08 15,986.4

Prisoners Release

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners in Northern Ireland were released into the custody of the UK Border Agency and its predecessors in each of the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: From 1 December 2007 to 1 December 2008 the total number of prisoners released from custody in the Northern Ireland Prison Service to the UK Border Agency and its predecessors was 56, broken down by month as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 December 2007 1 
			 January 2008 0 
			 February 2008 2 
			 March 2008 3 
			 April 2008 10 
			 May 2008 10 
			 June 2008 7 
			 July 2008 5 
			 August 2008 2 
			 September 2008 3 
			 October 2008 4 
			 November 2008 9

Reoffenders

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with reference to the answer of 13 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1321W, on reoffenders, what steps he is taking to reduce reoffending rates.

Paul Goggins: Under the Northern Ireland Office's PSA target of Making Communities Safer, the Department is committed to reduce re-offending in Northern Ireland. While much is being done to address re-offending across the criminal justice system, a cross-government strategic approach is essential to making significant inroads into level of re-offending. To achieve this joined-up approach:
	An Inter-Ministerial Group is being established—the NIO has secured agreement from OFMDFM to the establishment of a Ministerial Group on Reducing Offending to promote a cross departmental approach and ensure that a coherent, coordinated strategy is adopted to all aspects of offending;
	A women offenders strategy is under development—a specific approach to women offenders is being progressed through a women's strategy. As part of this initiative, a pilot women's centre has been established to develop appropriate assessment tools and programmes focused on sustaining and supporting women offenders in the community;
	Offenders learning and skills deficits are being addressed—the MO, in partnership with the Departments of Education and Employment and Learning, is establishing a Learning and Skills Forum. The forum will focus on making better use of existing education and skills training to provide a more joined up service for existing offenders and young people at risk of offending.

Reparation of Offenders

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which 15 community-based restorative justice schemes have been given accreditation under the Protocol for Community-based Restorative Justice Schemes.

Paul Goggins: A list of accredited community-based restorative justice schemes is maintained by the Secretary of State and is available on the Northern Ireland Office website. The 15 schemes accredited under the Protocol for Community-based Restorative Justice (CBRJ) Schemes to date are as follows:
	East Belfast Alternatives, East Belfast;
	Greater Shankill Alternatives, West Belfast;
	North Belfast Alternatives, North Belfast;
	North Down Alternatives, Bangor;
	Northern Ireland Alternatives Central Office, West Belfast;
	Community Restorative Justice Ireland (CRJI) Central Office, West Belfast;
	CRJI Colin, Belfast;
	CRJI Falls, Belfast;
	CRJI Greater Andersonstown, Belfast;
	CRJI Upper Springfield, Belfast;
	CRJI Derry Head Office, Derry;
	CRJI Ballymagroarty, Derry;
	CRJI Brandywell, Derry;
	CRJI Creggan, Derry; and
	CRJI Shantallow, Derry.

Terrorism

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases in Northern Ireland have been dealt with under the auspices of the Historical Enquiries Team; and how many of these have  (a) resulted in judicial proceedings and  (b) led to prosecutions.

Paul Goggins: That is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Young Offender Institutions: Construction

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with reference to the answer of 13 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1320W, on prison construction, what recent discussions he has had on building new young offender institutions.

Paul Goggins: There have been no recent discussions on building new young offender institutions.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Portcullis House: Mobile Phones

John Whittingdale: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission if the Commission will take steps to improve mobile telephone reception in Portcullis House.

Nick Harvey: Parliamentary ICT are nearing the completion of a project to install the infrastructure needed to allow mobile carriers to boost their signals within Portcullis House. This work has been undertaken with T Mobile which is the default carrier for Parliament's mobile computing service. Improvements to T Mobile's signal strength should be available by February 2009. Other carriers will be invited to use the infrastructure also.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Data Protection

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many civil servants in his Department have been  (a) investigated,  (b) suspended and  (c) dismissed for (i) losing and (ii) deliberately disclosing (A) data stored on departmental equipment and (B) confidential information in each year since 1997.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland office was established on 1 July 1999. Since this date no civil servants have been investigated, suspended or dismissed for losing or deliberately disclosing data or confidential information stored on departmental equipment.

Departmental Expenditure

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on  (a) taxis,  (b) potted plants,  (c) works of art and  (d) redecoration in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available.

Ann McKechin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 12W, to the hon. Member for Shipley (Philip Davies) with regards the Scotland Office spend on  (a) taxis. The Office has incurred no costs on  (b) potted plants or  (c) works of art in 2007-08. The cost of  (d) redecoration of its buildings in Edinburgh and London was £39,102. Under the terms of the building leases the Office is required to maintain the buildings to an acceptable standard of decoration and repair.

Departmental Rail Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties.

Jim Murphy: I last used a train in the course of my official duties on 24 November. All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.

WALES

Departmental Official Hospitality

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his Department spent on Ministerial hospitality in  (a) 2004-05,  (b) 2005-06,  (c) 2006-07 and  (d) 2007-08, expressed in current prices.

Paul Murphy: My Department does not keep records of ministerial hospitality in this form, and the information could be extracted only at disproportionate cost.
	All spending on official entertainment is made in accordance with the principles set out in Managing Public Money.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts

Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he plans to take to strengthen creative industries.

Andy Burnham: In February this year the Government published "Creative Britain-New Talents for a New Economy, a strategy for the Creative Economy in the UK", which sets out in 26 commitments the Government's determination to move the creative industries from the margins to the mainstream of the UK economy.
	The strategy includes commitments to encourage employers to create 5,000 new apprenticeships in the creative industries by 2013, and the establishment of a new, international event for business and the creative industries—the Creativity & Business International Network (c&binet)—the first of which will take place in 2009.

Arts

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the answer of 24 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 1027-28W, on intellectual property, when he expects to publish updated figures for the value of the creative industries to the UK economy.

Andy Burnham: The Creative Industries Economic Estimates bulletins contain statistics on gross value added, exports, employment and numbers of businesses within the creative industries.
	The publication of the 2008 bulletin has been delayed to allow additional time to investigate revisions that have been made to the source data.
	The Department is aiming to publish the 2008 bulletin by the end of the year. It will be available on our website at
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/research_and_statistics/4848.aspx

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the answer of 4 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 336-37W, on Government departments: information and communications technology, which IP addresses are used by  (a) his Department and  (b) computers in the offices of its (i) Ministers, (ii) communications officials and (iii) special advisers.

Gerry Sutcliffe: To help defend against electronic attack, it is standard good information security practice for corporate IT systems, not to publish internal IP addresses. When accessing internet websites, the IP addresses of all of the computers on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport internal office IT system are hidden behind the following IP addresses which are publicly available—195.92.40.49 and 62.25.106.209. These IP addresses are shared with other Government Departments that use the Government secure intranet.

Departmental Internet

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate his Department has made of the cost of including return path functionality in his Department's core receiver requirements, with particular reference to the cost of including a return path with a provision for broadband capability.

Andy Burnham: Earlier this year DCMS commissioned independent research into set-top boxes including a return path to support bi-directional interactive services. That report did not include an estimate of costs.
	However, the technical experts on the Department's Emerging Technology Group, which keeps the Core Receiver Requirements under review, did arrive at an initial costing for including return path functionality to provide for broadband capability.
	We will be re-examining both the rationale for and costs of enhancements to set-top-boxes as part of the Digital Britain report.

Departmental Pay

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been allocated for spending on bonuses for staff within his Department in 2008-09.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department makes bonus payments to its staff for two purposes:  (a) special bonuses to reward outstanding contributions in particularly demanding tasks or situations; and  (b) performance bonuses linked to the end of year staff appraisal, which are awarded to staff who have had a highly successful performance over a whole year.
	All end of year bonuses for 2008-09, (for performance in 2007-08) have been paid. The total amount paid was £434,417. Of the special bonuses £100,560 has been allocated of which £25,580 has been paid.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when a reply will be sent to the hon. Member for Walsall, North's letter of 5 November 2008 to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, transferred to his Department at the end of November regarding a constituent.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 8 December 2008
	A reply was sent to my hon. Friend on 15 December, explaining that we are unable to comment on the findings of the Community Pubs Inquiry Report at this time. However, we hope to be able to reply in full early in the new year.

Sports: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what recent steps the Government has taken to improve community sport facilities in Coventry;
	(2)  what steps the Government has taken to promote sport for families in Coventry.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 15 December 2008
	 Since April 2004 Sport England have awarded £3,533,934 in community sport funding to various organisations in Coventry, to improve sporting facilities and promote sport for families.

Sports: Schools

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent steps the Government has taken to promote sport in schools.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Through our joint PE and Sport Strategy for Young People (PESSYP), the Department is working with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to increase the take-up of sporting opportunities among five to 19-year-olds.
	Our aim is to sustain and increase current levels of participation by those aged five to 16 in at least two hours of high quality PE and sport at school, and offer five to 19-year-olds at least three hours of sport beyond the school day, delivered by a range of school, community and club providers.
	These ambitions will be realised through a range of programmes and activities delivered through Sport England and the Youth Sport Trust, and will be supported by increases in the number of coaches in schools, and a national network of competition managers within School Sport Partnerships.

Television: Licensing

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) of 11 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1096W, on television: licensing, how many people were convicted for failing to purchase a television licence in each of the last five years; and of these how many were fined the maximum sum prescribed.

Maria Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	Data showing the number of persons found guilty, and those issued with a fine, at all courts for Television Licence evasion in England and Wales, from 2003 to 2007, the latest available, are given in the following tables:
	The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	
		
			  Table A: The number of persons found guilty at all courts of Television Licence evasion, England and Wales, 2003 - 07( 1, 2, 3) 
			   Number 
			 2003 79,856 
			 2004 89,240 
			 2005 104,930 
			 2006 115,470 
			 2007 120,955 
			 (1 )These data are on the principal offence basis.  (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  (3) The TV licensing provisions of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 were replaced by new provisions in section 363 of the Communications Act 2003 which came into effect 1 April 2004. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B: The number of persons, on conviction of Television Licence evasion offences, issued with a fine, at all courts, England and Wales, 2003 - 07( 1, 2) 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Total number fined 78,923 87,735 103,716 113,985 120,114 
			  O f which :  
			 Total number fined the maximum amount (£1,000) 1 2 4 12 2 
			   
			 Average fine amount (£) 114 132 120 129 137 
			 (1 )These data are on the principal offence basis.  (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Tourism: Isle of Man

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps the Government is taking to promote tourism between the Isle of Man and the United Kingdom.

Barbara Follett: VisitBritain's marketing of England for tourism purposes includes the dissemination of material to people living on the Isle of Man. Any associated press activity is also shown in the Isle of Man. National campaigns taken forward by VisitBritain also target the Isle of Man.
	A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for overseas marketing is in place between VisitBritain and the Isle of Man Government which sets out a framework, respective roles and responsibilities and working relationships for the benefit of promoting Britain and the Isle of Man effectively to overseas visitors. The Isle of Man Government pay VisitBritain an annual marketing fee in support of the MoU. This ensures that the Isle of Man has equivalent treatment to the other nations and regions of Britain.

DEFENCE

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Nick Ainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armoured vehicles on average were used in each training session at Castlemartin Range in the last 12 months.

Bob Ainsworth: The average number of Armoured Fighting Vehicles used in each training package at Castlemartin Range in the last 12 months is 26.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Nick Ainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the cost was to his Department of private haulage of armoured vehicles to and from Castlemartin Range in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what the cost was of transporting armoured vehicles to and from Castlemartin Range in each of the last five years.

Bob Ainsworth: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Nick Ainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many large goods vehicle movements transporting armoured vehicles to and from Castlemartin Range there were in each of the last five years; and how many of those were undertaken by  (a) private sector vehicles and  (b) army transporters.

Bob Ainsworth: This information is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Nick Ainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many training sessions using armoured vehicles took place at Castlemartin Range in each of the last five years; and what the average length of each such training session was.

Bob Ainsworth: The number of training packages using armoured fighting vehicles that took place at Castlemartin Range in each of the last five years is shown below:
	
		
			   Number of training packages 
			 2004 10 
			 2005 10 
			 2006 13 
			 2007 10 
			 2008 13 
		
	
	The typical length of a training package is two weeks.

Chinook Helicopters

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Chinook helicopters the RAF possesses; and how many of these are fully serviceable.

Quentin Davies: There are 40 Chinook Mk2/2a in the fleet.
	'Fully serviceable' is interpreted as those aircraft in the Forward Fleet considered Fit for Purpose. Forward Fleet aircraft are those that are available to the Front Line Command for operational and training purposes, of which Fit for Purpose are those considered capable of carrying out their planned missions on a given date. In the latest month for which figures are available (October) an average of 19 were considered Fit for Purpose.
	Aircraft which are not Fit for Purpose are considered to be Short Term Unserviceable and are able to be brought up to standard very quickly. During October only 11 aircraft were undergoing depth repair and not able to be bought up to standard quickly. Operational capability is measured in terms of flying hours rather than the number of airframes available.

Departmental Marketing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in the last 12 months.

Kevan Jones: The amount spent is £46.3 million. This figure represents expenditure in 2007-08 on public relations services (including sales marketing and advertising), service and civilian recruitment expenses and expenditure on schools and community relations initiatives. It includes expenditure by the defence agencies, but not by the MOD's trading funds and Executive non-departmental public bodies, which lie outside the MOD's accounting boundary.

EH101 Helicopters

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flying hours have been recorded on each of the six Merlin helicopters which were transferred from Denmark in each of the last three months.

Quentin Davies: The number of hours flown by each of the six Merlin helicopters acquired from the Danish Government in the last three months are shown in the following table in hours and minutes. Merlin ZK001 is still undergoing conversion at AugustaWestlands and is due to be delivered to RAF Benson on 9 January 2009.
	
		
			   September  October  November 
			 ZJ990 45:39 11:25 23:46 
			 ZJ992 39:13 11:04 54:30 
			 ZJ994 26:43 37:21 39:21 
			 ZJ995 34:33 24:07 13:00 
			 ZJ998 2:00 0 6:34 
			 ZK001 0 0 0

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many servicemen have lost limbs while serving in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan in the last 12 months.

John Hutton: Between 1 December 2007 and 30 November 2008 a total of 24 service personnel have suffered amputations due to injuries sustained while on operational deployment; one in Iraq and 23 in Afghanistan. These amputations can range from the loss of part of a finger or toe up to the loss of entire limb(s).

Iraq: Reconstruction

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in the  (a) development of Basra International Airport and  (b) renovation of Umm Qasr port since 8 October 2007; and what contribution has been made to each project by the UK.

John Hutton: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in his statement on 22 July 2008,  Official Report, columns 660-63, preparing to transfer Basra International Airport to Iraqi civilian control is one of the key remaining tasks for UK forces in southern Iraq. Good progress has been made and the Iraqi civilian authorities now operate it as a civil airport during daylight hours. We remain on course formally to transfer responsibility for the airport to the Iraqi civilian authorities around the turn of the year.
	Trade at Umm Qasr port has increased by 10 per cent. over the last year, and is forecast to increase by more than that again in 2009. Regeneration plans for the port are now being led and co-ordinated by the Iraqi Government, with support from Coalition personnel, including from the UK. UK personnel are providing advice and facilitation to the regeneration efforts, and UK forces are providing training to a company of Iraqi Marines guarding the port's perimeter.

Tristar Aircraft

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of fitting the RAF Tristar fleet with glass cockpits is expected to be; and what his proposed timescale for these upgrades is.

Quentin Davies: The cost of fitting glass cockpits to the RAF TriStar fleet is estimated to be in the order of £20 million. It is planned that this work will be completed by early 2011.

OLYMPICS

Departmental Disabled Staff

Mark Harper: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what conclusions her Office has reached in fulfilment of its duty under section 3.111 of the statutory code of practice of the disability equality duty.

Tessa Jowell: In respect of my Private Office, the Cabinet Office published its Single Equality Scheme in February 2008, which included a report on progress in meeting its disability equality duties. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House and on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/cabinetoffice/corp/assets/publications/corporate/equality/equality_scheme.doc
	In respect of the Government Olympic Executive (GOE), the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (of which GOE is a part) published its first annual report on progress on disability equality in March 2008, available on the DCMS website:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/publications/5082.aspx
	The report describes progress on each item in DCMS's action plan and further action, for example, the establishment of a Disability Reference Group, plans to improve data collection on participation by disabled people in its sectors and work to improve the diversity of the boards of its public bodies.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Subsidies

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much he expects to have been paid out under the 2008 Single Payment Scheme by 25 December 2008; and to how many claimants he expects payment to have been made by that date.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 8 December 2008
	RPA is committed to meeting its formal targets of making 75 per cent. of payments, by value, by the end of January 2009 and 90 per cent. by value by end of March 2009.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department has spent on administering non-compliance penalties made under the Single Farm Payment Scheme since its inception.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 9 December 2008
	The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what  (a) administrative and  (b) legal costs have been incurred by his Department in relation to outstanding claims made under the Single Farm Payment Scheme in each year since its inception.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 9 December 2008
	The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Animals: Imports

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many CITES import permits his Department has issued for long-tailed macaques originating from Cambodia in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: In the last three years the UK CITES Management Authority has not issued any permits for the importation of live long tailed macaques from Cambodia.

Animals: Imports

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if his Department will suspend the issue of import permits for long-tailed macaques originating from Cambodia under Article 4(2) of EC Regulation 338/97.

Huw Irranca-Davies: If the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) decides that it is appropriate to suspend trade, the decision will be implemented in the EU under Article 4.2 of Council Regulation 338/97 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein.
	We are not aware of plans to do this and the EU's Scientific Review Group (SRG) is not separately considering suspending trade in this species as no concerns over trade have been raised. The UK has no plans to take unilateral action and if any concerns were brought to our attention we would first raise them through the SRG to ensure coordinated action across the single market.

Bluetongue Disease

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the likelihood of British livestock being affected by the bluetongue virus serotype  (a) one and  (b) six; and what discussions he has had with representatives of the live-stock related industry on the development of vaccines against each strain.

Jane Kennedy: DEFRA monitors occurrence of major animal disease outbreaks worldwide as an early warning to assess the risk these events may pose to the UK. These risk assessments are published on the DEFRA website.
	DEFRA is in discussion with existing manufacturers of BTV1 vaccine, and companies with BTV1 vaccine in development, to encourage applications to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate for provisional marketing authorisations (PMAs). If vaccine should be required, the early granting of PMAs will help supply to the market to be achieved more quickly. DEFRA has not placed orders for vaccine against serotypes 1 or 6. To our knowledge, there are no BTV-6 vaccines yet in development.
	We have an agreed policy for controlling incursions of any new serotypes under the existing UK Bluetongue Control Strategy. This strategy was reviewed recently in light of this year's experience and to address risk from other serotypes, and was published on the DEFRA website on 1 December.
	DEFRA continues to urge industry to consider the risks and check the health and vaccination status of animals when sourcing any animals, from within the UK or abroad.

British Waterways

Charlotte Atkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what income British Waterways generated from its property portfolio in each of the last three years.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The following table breaks down the income from British Waterways' non-operational property endowment and share of joint venture profit and losses.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2007-08  2006-07  2005-06 
			 Property income 33.3 32.1 30.3 
			 Share of joint venture profits/losses(1) -2.4 7.3 7.7 
			 (1) Net trading profit before tax

Dairy Products: China

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to ban the import of dairy products from China; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The rules on imports are decided collectively at EU level. Imports of heat-treated milk, milk-based products and raw milk intended for human consumption from China into the EU are not permitted. Safeguard measures applying to products from China that contain dairy ingredients have been agreed by the EU and the Food Standards Agency has implemented them in the UK.

Departmental Disabled Staff

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what conclusions his Department has reached in fulfilment of its duty under section 3.111 of the statutory code of practice of the disability equality duty.

Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA produced a new Disability Equality Scheme at the end of 2007. This was developed to provide a more focused and effective scheme than the joint equality scheme which it succeeded. This new scheme was developed with the involvement of disabled people and was approved by the Equalities and Human Rights commission. It is published on the DEFRA website and can be found on:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/diversity/des/index.htm
	We have made real and tangible progress for disabled staff over the past year. This progress, against the objectives set out in the Scheme's action plan, will be reported in our Annual Progress Report on 31 December 2008.

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer of 4 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 336-37W, on Government Departments: information and communications technology, which IP addresses are used by  (a) his Department and  (b) computers in the offices of its (i) Ministers, (ii) communications officials and (iii) special advisers.

Huw Irranca-Davies: To help defend against electronic attack, it is standard good information security practice for corporate IT systems, not to publish internal IP addresses.
	When accessing internet websites, the IP addresses of all of the computers on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs internal office IT system are hidden behind the following IP addresses which are publicly available: 195.92.40.49 and 62.25.106.209. These IP addresses are shared with other Government Departments that use the Government Secure Intranet.

Departmental Work Experience

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many individuals have worked in his Department on  (a) paid work experience or internship placements and  (b) unpaid work experience or internships in each of the past three years; on average how many hours a week were worked by such people in each year; what types of work each was involved in; what proportion were in full-time education; what proportion did not complete their set period of work experience; and how much those who received remuneration were paid on average per week in each year.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Placements within DEFRA are arranged locally between students and the area in which they are seeking to gain work experience. As a consequence, the information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Farming Links

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost of  (a) production and  (b) distribution of the latest edition of  Farming Link was; and how many copies were produced.

Jane Kennedy: The total cost for the November edition of  Farming Link was £90,193 and included costs for design, editorial and online (£24,559), print (£30,634) and postage (around £35,000). The print run was 140,000 copies.

Flood Control

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  with reference to the answer of 27 October 2008,  Official Report, column 614W, on flood control, what the  (a) original and  (b) most recently projected completion date of each flood protection scheme in each of the last five years is; and what the reasons are for the differences in each case;
	(2)  what the original completion date was for each of the Environment Agency's flood defence projects undertaken in the last five years; and what the latest expected completion date is in each case.

Huw Irranca-Davies: From 2004 to 2008 the Environment Agency's National Capital Programme Management Service was responsible for a total of 146 completed flood management projects. Of these, 83 were completed early or on time and 44 were completed within two months of the expected completion date. 19 projects were delayed by two months or more.
	Information is not available for projects completed before 2004.
	In most cases the projects are operational and protect houses before the final completion date of the construction works. For schemes completed within two months of the target date, the delays have been attributed to:
	Poor weather conditions
	High/low river flows
	Planning permission
	Legislative changes
	Environmental permitting
	A list of the schemes delayed for more than two months, including the original and expected/actual completion dates and the reasons for the delay, where available, have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	
		
			  Project  Completion date  Reason 
			 St. Ives and Hemingsfords 2007-08 Increased scope due to additional works required by the customer. 
			 Alexander Docks 2006-07 An additional lock possession was required by the Ports Authority delaying the project by eight months. 
			 Bawdsey Sea Defences 2006-07 An increased level of environmental assessment was required, this coupled with poor weather conditions delayed the project. 
			 River Mersey FAS 2006-07 Changes in the design during the construction phase delayed the project. 
			 Regional Flood Warning Telemetry 2006-07 High level of public interest led to delays in gaining planning permission for this project. 
			 Maldon—Wisemans Quay 2005-06 This project started late due to contractor commitments, delaying the completion of this project. 
			 South East Weather Radar 2005-06 This project was delayed due to the timescales involved in procuring the radar from the United States. 
			 Lewes Mallingsbrook FAS 2005-06 The works involved considerable interface with existing services and suffered some delay from integrating project work with the utility companies carrying out diversions. The scheme was also set a very challenging target completion to respond to commitments given following the 2000 floods. 
			 Lydney Harbour 2004-05 Delay due to the tidal working conditions and obtaining approval for the works from English Nature. 
			 Eastern Rother—Robertsbridge FAS 2004-05 The proximity of the scheme to a large superstore delayed works as we needed to minimise the impact on the store and a large number of hypodermic needles buried in the soil delayed works while a method of dealing with them was found.

Flood Control

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many flood defence projects have been postponed in each of the last three years; and what the reasons were in each case.

Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA has overall policy responsibility for flood risk management and provides funding for schemes to Operating Authorities (Environment Agency, local authorities and Internal Drainage Boards). The funding for flood risk has been administered by the Environment Agency since April 2006. Information on potential projects is collected from operating authorities and the Environment Agency decides which projects to promote and their timing to meet the targets set by DEFRA. Since the projects are not formally approved until funding is confirmed none will have been postponed or have had their commencement delayed.

Flood Control: Databases

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will allow insurance companies and other interested parties access to the national coastal defence database.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The Environment Agency has developed and now operates a National Flood and Coastal Defence Database (NFCDD).
	Insurers are not provided with direct access to extract data from the NFCDD and requests for data are considered on a case by case basis.
	NFCDD information is used to derive the Environment Agency's national flood risk assessment and other products which are made available to insurers.

Floods: Maps

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department has taken to map surface water flooding as recommended by Sir Michael Pitt in his final report.

Huw Irranca-Davies: We have already taken a number of steps in response to Sir Michael Pitt's findings and will be publishing a detailed response together with a prioritised action plan shortly.

Floods: Repairs and Maintenance

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will review building regulations to ensure flood resilient repair following a flood; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	Recommendation 11 of 'The Pitt Review: Lessons learned from the 2007 floods' was that:
	"Building Regulations should be revised to ensure that all new or refurbished buildings in high flood-risk areas are flood resistant or resilient".
	We will shortly be announcing the Government's response to the Pitt report.

Fly Tipping: Prosecutions

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many fly-tipping offences have been successfully prosecuted under the provisions of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.

Jane Kennedy: Local authorities and the Environment Agency do not record prosecutions brought specifically under the provisions of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, which amended the EPA.

Forestry Commission

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the market value of the Forestry Commission.

Huw Irranca-Davies: I have not made an estimate of the market value of the Forestry Commission. Its published Great Britain/England accounts for the year ending 31 March 2008, and which are available in the Library of the House, value its assets at £612.7 million, of which £487.9 million is attributed to the forest estate that the Commission manages.

Genetically Modified Organisms

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the capacity of the Genetically-Modified Organisms Panel of the European Food Safety Agency to advise on the potential risks to health and the environment of genetically-modified organisms; if he will support proposals for reform of the panel; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Earlier this month the EU Environmental Council adopted a set of written conclusions on GM issues. Among other things, these set out an agreed view on the operation of the risk assessment process for genetically-modified organisms, including in respect of the role played by European Food Safety Agency in providing expert advice. The UK supported the adoption of the conclusions, the full text of which is available at:
	http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/envir/104509.pdf.

Genetically Modified Organisms

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consideration he has given to the provisions of the relevant concordat between the competent authorities in Wales, England, Northern Ireland and Scotland when  (a) negotiating and  (b) voting in the Council of Ministers on matters of assessments and authorisations for genetically-modified organisms in Europe; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The principles set down in the concordat continue to provide a clear framework for liaison between the four UK competent authorities on the matters covered by the agreement, including the assessment and authorisation of GMOs under EU Directive 2001/18.

Genetically Modified Organisms: Crops

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many inspections of genetically modified organism (GMO) test sites have been carried out by the GM Inspectorate relating to Part B consents in respect of experimental releases of GMOs under the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 1992 and the GMO (Deliberate Release) (England) Regulations 2002 in England since January 2000; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each inspection report.

Huw Irranca-Davies: In total 718 inspections of GM release sites have taken place since January 2000.
	The Central Science Laboratory's GM inspectorate has made 341 growing season inspections since it assumed its responsibilities in June 2000. Each part B trial site is inspected at least once when the crop is in the ground, but additional inspections may be undertaken at sowing or at harvest, or where an incident has occurred at the release site. The reports can be found on the internet at:
	http://www.gm-inspectorate.gov.uk/deliberateRelease/exptreleases.cfm
	In addition the GM inspectorate has made 337 inspection visits following completion of trials. I have arranged for copies of the reports from these visits to be placed in the Library .
	The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was responsible for all inspections prior to 1 June 2000 and since then has retained responsibility for inspections of GM clinical trial applications. I have also arranged for copies of HSE's 40 inspection reports to be placed in the Library.

Genetically Modified Organisms: Crops

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many sites growing genetically modified organisms grant Part C authorisation for commercial cultivation under Directive 90/220 or 2001/18 have been sown since January 2000; and how many of these sites have been vandalised.

Huw Irranca-Davies: There has been no commercial cultivation of GM crops in England, but maize variety T25, which has a Part C consent, was one of the crops grown in the farm-scale evaluation (FSE) research trials. There were 68 plantings of T25 as part of the FSEs after January 2000, of which 23 were vandalised.

Genetically Modified Organisms: Crops

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many post-release monitoring reports of Part B consents in respect of the experimental releases of genetically modified organisms authorised under the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 1992 and the GMO (Deliberate Release) (England) Regulations 2002 his Department has received since January 2000; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each report received.

Huw Irranca-Davies: My Department has received 205 post-release monitoring reports from consent holders since January 2000. These are available for inspection on the GMO public register held in DEFRA's library. I have arranged for copies of them to be placed in the Library of the House.

Glass: Recycling

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will estimate the cost of introducing a deposit return scheme for glass bottles.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given 15 December 2008,  Official Report, column 321W.

International Commission for Conservation of  Atlantic Tuna

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the UK voted for or against the decision made at the recent meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna to set a quota of 22,000 tonnes of bluefin tuna in 2009; and what the Government's position is on a quota for blue fin tuna catch.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The decision to set a total allowable catch (TAC) of 22,000 tonnes for the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic blue fin tuna fishery in 2009 was agreed by consensus at the meeting and therefore not subject to a vote.
	While the UK would have ideally preferred the ICCAT to adopt a smaller TAC for blue fin tuna, the controls that have now been put in place for this fishery, coupled with the plan for contracting parties to demonstrate that they can comply with the plan or have their quotas suspended, mean that the fishery should now be effectively managed in order to prevent the over-fishing that has occurred in previous years.

Marine Management Organisation

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of  (a) the operational effectiveness of the proposed Marine Management Organisation in carrying out its functions as a non-departmental public body and  (b) the operational effectiveness of the Marine and Fisheries Agency in performing those functions.

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ensure that it is fit for purpose the Government intends the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) to have the degree of independence from any one Minister or Department that the Marine Fisheries Agency, as an executive agency of DEFRA, currently lacks.
	This independence from a single Department of Government is key as the MMO will deliver functions on behalf of Government as a whole—not just for DEFRA. There is also a strong desire across Government for stakeholders to be confident that the MMO is neutral.
	It is largely for these reasons that the Government have decided that the MMO should be a non-departmental public body.

Marine Management Organisation

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to re-allocate funds from existing budgets to fund the location outside London of the proposed Marine Management Organisation.

Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA has been aware of the potential funding required for a relocation for some time. My decision on location of the Marine Management Organisation will be taken into account when 2009-10 budget allocations within DEFRA are agreed in the new year.

Marine Management Organisation

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many of the 40 new posts to be created at the proposed Marine Management Organisation will be in  (a) marine planning,  (b) corporate services and  (c) other areas.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The Marine Management Organisation will create approximately 43 new posts. 19 will be in marine planning, four will be in corporate services and 20 will be in other areas.

Marine Management Organisation

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many marine plans are to be drafted for the proposed Marine Management Organisation; and what deadline has been set for such plans to be produced.

Huw Irranca-Davies: We are aiming to put in place a significant number of marine plans over a 20 year period. We have not set out in the Marine and Coastal Access Bill either the number of plans or the deadline for their production because this is a new system which needs to evolve.
	The figures in the impact assessment published alongside the Bill are based on 10 plans, although the eventual number of plans, and their size will depend on local ecological and regional characteristics and needs in the areas where planning is most needed. We envisage that plans will be created through a phased approach, with the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) prioritising resources to the areas where it is determined that early planning will be of most benefit.
	We aim to start developing the first plans as soon as the MMO is established. We will be examining these issues during the course of the next year and will consult with stakeholders as part of developing our approach.

Marine Management Organisation

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff he estimates will be working on marine planning in the proposed Marine Management Organisation's first year of operation.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Of the 43 new posts the Marine Management Organisation will create, 19 will be in marine planning.
	Our impact assessment suggests that we may need teams of six to co-ordinate each plan, supported by resources from the wider organisation to address requirements such as science, data management and analysis, geospatial systems, legal advice, communications and stakeholder engagement.
	Therefore depending on how many plans the MMO works on at any given time it would be likely to require dedicated staff with further input from a range of specialists. The MMO will not be working alone but will be seeking to involve marine and planning expertise from the stakeholder community. Ultimately the numbers engaged in the planning process will be determined by the priority allocated to planning and the availability of resources, in essence the needs of the business.

Pesticides: Health Hazards

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if his Department will publish  (a) the papers from the Study of Health in Agricultural Work by Dr. Andrew Povey et al., of the University of Manchester,  (b) the Survey of Health and Pesticide Exposure by Dr. Tony Fletcher of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and  (c) the case-control study of neuropsychological and psychiatric functioning in sheep farmers exposed to OP pesticide by Dr. Sarah Mackenzie Ross of University College, London, commissioned by his Department.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The reports from Dr. Povey and Dr. Mackenzie Ross will be published when the current peer review has been completed.
	The consolidated epidemiological and clinical reports from Dr. Fletcher's study have been passed to the Medical and Scientific Panel of the Veterinary Products Committee for their independent view of the findings. Once the Medical and Scientific Panel's views are received the consolidated report will be published.
	The epidemiological report from Dr. Fletcher's study was published on the DEFRA website in June 2005 and can be found at:
	http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document =VM0299_260_TRP.doc.

Pet Travel Scheme

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will increase the funding available to collect and analyse disease surveillance data relating to cross-border pet movement.

Jane Kennedy: DEFRA undertakes extensive work in relation to rabies and other important diseases that may be carried by pet animals that arrive in the United Kingdom via both PETS (the Pet Travel Scheme) and those going into quarantine. Also, DEFRA regularly reviews the targeting of the resources it has available to carry out disease surveillance. Reviews are carried out in accordance with the reasons for Government intervention as set out in the Animal Health and Welfare Strategy. Consideration of re-allocation of surveillance resource between different animal species and diseases, to permit increased funding of surveillance in relation to cross-border pet movement, is included in this process.

Plastics: Recycling

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what plans his Department has to fund new mixed plastics recycling plants; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans his Department has to fund new mixed plastics recycling plants; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: There are no current plans for new capital investment in mixed plastic recycling infrastructure, but this position is being reviewed in light of the current global market conditions.

JUSTICE

Chelmsford Prison

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many prisoners at Chelmsford Prison share a room with  (a) one and  (b) two other prisoners;
	(2)  what the designated maximum number of prisoners is who can be housed in Chelmsford Prison;
	(3)  how many  (a) adults and  (b) young offenders there are in Chelmsford Prison.

David Hanson: On 12 December, the operational capacity of Chelmsford prison was 695. The number of adults and young offenders held in the prison overnight was 482 and 203 respectively. 276 prisoners shared a cell with another person. No prisoners were held three to a cell.

Community Orders: Per Capita Costs

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average  (a) daily,  (b) weekly,  (c) monthly and  (d) annual cost of supervising an offender on a community sentence was in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: Probation Services meets the cost of delivering Community Sentences through their grant as they see fit to meet their statutory duties. The Criminal Justice Act 2003 established the new Community Order as a single community sentence with a number of elements in respect of offences committed after 4 April 2005.
	Probation Boards and trusts spent £614 million in 2007-08 supervising around 244,000 offenders. It is not currently possible to separate the cost of supervising offenders on community sentence as probation caseloads also include significant numbers of offenders that have been released from a custodial sentence or released temporarily into the community.
	Work is in hand in the National Offender Management Service to ensure that all offender services delivered in custody and in the community are properly specified and costed so that commissioners can ensure that resources are targeted effectively to protect the public and reduce re-offending.

County Courts: Kent

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to increase the rate of throughput of civil cases at county courts in Kent.

Bridget Prentice: In terms of key performance indicator 6, which deals with the proportion of small claims (claims up to £5,000) that are dealt with other than by a hearing (settlement), Kent has increased from 52.4 per cent. at the end of 2007-08, to 55.1 per cent. for the first six months of this year. Increased administrative support is being given to the Kent small claims mediator to improve the throughput of civil cases where the parties believe that mediation outside the courtroom may lead to settlement.
	For key performance indicator 7, which measures the proportion of defended small claims that are completed (from issue to final hearing) within 30 weeks, there has been a decline in throughput of civil small claims cases in Kent in 2008-09 based on figures to the end of September 2008. Her Majesty's Courts Service, Kent has taken the following steps to improve the performance. On small claims cases, deputy district judge sittings have increased by an additional 66 days to improve performance. Greater use is being made of listing a block of cases before two or more district judges sitting on the same day at the same location, thus utilising judicial time more effectively. A pilot exercise is being undertaken whereby the Kent small claims mediator attends that same court to offer on-the-spot mediation to parties awaiting hearing who wish to take advantage of this free mediation service. Closer scrutiny of the reasons for cases not meeting target will be carried out by court managers from December 2008.
	In line with the key performance indicator to increase the amount of civil work initiated online, Kent has made progress and in October 2008, 67 per cent. of customers issued possession claims online as compared with 41.3 per cent. a year ago. Further work is planned to increase online take up.
	In relation to (the supporting indicator, for) large multi-track cases (over £15,000), the system by which these cases are heard at each location at Kent within the same fortnight is being extended to three fortnights a year, rather than two, to improve performance against target. A review of all multi-track cases at Canterbury county court was recently carried out by the designated civil judge to ensure that cases were being dealt with in a timely manner and not incurring avoidable delay.
	Supporting management information is provided in relation to the proportion of administrative process completed within five days. Kent's performance is slightly below the South East region's figure of 92.9 per cent., at 91.2 per cent. for the first six months of this year. During the first part of the year in Kent, a number of county court manager roles were covered on a temporary basis at Canterbury (seven months), Medway (ongoing temporary promotion), and Tunbridge Wells (temporary promotion, four months), as well as at Maidstone county court. The majority of court manager vacancies are now filled and with the training of new staff that has taken place, improvement in the management of administrative process at these sites is anticipated.
	Kent has been included, as part of wider regional reviews including the Civil Listing Review, District Judge Complementing Review and Circuit Judge Complementing Review. These reviews have made recommendations on listing practices and the operation of concurrent jurisdiction for circuit and district judges and the requirement to hear civil work at the most appropriate level. These recommendations are now being considered by the area director and the designated civil judge with a view to realigning judicial resource where appropriate to bring improvement in performance across all areas of civil work.

Departmental Data Protection

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many civil servants in his Department have been  (a) investigated,  (b) suspended and  (c) dismissed for (i) losing and (ii) deliberately disclosing (A) data stored on departmental equipment and (B) confidential information in each year since its inception.

Michael Wills: In the ex-DCA, details of the number of staff investigated for losing and deliberately disclosing data and confidential information were not held centrally in a format that would enable us to answer this part of the question. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information regarding suspensions and the outcome of disciplinary proceedings is held centrally and these records indicate that no members of staff have been suspended or dismissed since 9 May 2007 for these offences.
	In the National Offender Management Service, details of the number of staff investigated or suspended for losing and deliberately disclosing data and confidential information are not held centrally in a format that would enable us to answer this part of the question. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information regarding the outcome of disciplinary proceedings is held centrally and these records indicate that no members of staff have been dismissed since 9 May 2007 for these offences.

Departmental Procurement

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether there has been any nugatory cost to his Department and its agencies relating to tendered procurement where the tender process has been cancelled prior to the award of the contract since the inception of his Department.

Maria Eagle: There have been no nugatory costs to the Department and its agencies, since its inception, relating to tendered procurement where the tender process has been cancelled prior to award of the contract.

Departmental Public Consultation

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on which occasions his Department has convened a citizens' jury or randomly drawn panel of people to aid the Department's policy making since 2000; whether the participants were paid in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: The Ministry of Justice has not convened any citizens' juries or randomly drawn panel of people to aid the Department's policy making. However we recognise the important contribution that the public can make in this area and carry out a wide range of activities which allow Ministers and officials to listen to and understand the views of the public and stakeholders in developing policy.

Deportation: Ukraine

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many prisoners were returned to Ukraine under prisoner transfer agreements in the last year for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many prisoners were removed from England and Wales under prisoner transfer agreements in the last year for which figures are available;
	(3)  how many prisoners were returned to  (a) the Netherlands and  (b) the Netherlands Antilles under prisoner transfer agreements in the last year for which figures are available.

David Hanson: In the calendar year 2007, 111 prisoners were transferred from England and Wales to other countries under relevant international prisoner transfer arrangements. Of these, 75 prisoners were transferred to the Netherlands and five prisoners were transferred to the Netherlands Antilles. No prisoners were transferred to the Ukraine.

Juries

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward proposals to establish parallel juries for the purposes of research into how juries reach their verdicts.

Maria Eagle: We have no plans to establish parallel juries for the purposes of research into how juries reach their verdicts.

Legal Aid Scheme

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much funding has been provided for legal aid in each of the last five years; and how many individuals received legal aid in each such year.

Bridget Prentice: The information requested for each of the last five years is set out in the following table, taken from the Legal Services Commission's annual reports. The figures exclude release of provision on dormant cases and charges for bad debt. The LSC's management information system records acts of assistance rather than the number of individuals assisted. Some individuals may have received more than one act of assistance during the year and some acts of assistance may help more than one person.
	
		
			   Resource expenditure (£ million)  Acts of assistance ( T housand) 
			 2003-04 1,914 2,633 
			 2004-05 1,769 2,435 
			 2005-06 2,000 2,607 
			 2006-07 1,983 2,659 
			 2007-08 1,945 2,503

Legal Aid Scheme

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average cost of providing legal aid was in relation to a  (a) civil and  (b) housing repossession case in the latest period for which figures are available.

Bridget Prentice: The average cost of civil representation cases before income(1) was £5,520 in 2007-08. The average cost of Legal Help by solicitors in 2007-08 was £265.The figures relate to cases that were closed in the year and include VAT.
	The average cost of civil representation housing possession cases before income(1) was £2,200 in 2007-08. This excludes cases that have been settled.
	The average cost of Legal Help in housing possession cases was £200 in 2007-08. The figures relate to cases that were closed in the year and include VAT.
	(1) The figure shows the total amount that the LSC has paid for the case. The figure does not cover any of the money that the LSC will receive back as income, for example from costs and contributions.

National Offender Management Service Board

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will appoint a  (a) director of mental health,  (b) director of women's prisons,  (c) director of education and  (d) director of programmes to the National Offender Management Service Board.

David Hanson: Offenders' mental health, education and programme needs and delivery, as well as women's prisons issues are already represented at director level on the National Offender Management Service Agency Board.

National Offender Management Service: Per Capita Costs

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much the National Offender Management Service spent per meal on inmates in HM Prisons in the latest year for which figures are available.

David Hanson: For 2007-08, the last full financial year for which figures are available, the average public sector Prison Service daily food cost per prisoner in England and Wales was £2.12.
	No discrete cost data are held centrally for each meal but we estimate that for breakfast, lunch and dinner the approximate breakdown of the daily food cost is 20 per cent., 40 per cent. and 40 per cent. respectively. This calculates as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 Breakfast 0.42 
			 Lunch 0.85 
			 Evening Meal 0.85 
		
	
	This estimate will vary between establishments and actual costs will be dependant on local regimes.

Offenders: Rehabilitation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost of administering offending behaviour programmes was  (a) in prison and  (b) on probation in each of the last five years, broken down by type of programme.

David Hanson: Funding for the delivery of accredited offending behaviour programmes in custody is built into prison baselines and it is not possible accurately to disaggregate the cost of this work. The National Offender Management Service is currently undertaking a specifications, benchmarking and costings exercise which will provide accurate costings of the interventions delivered.
	The additional funding allocated for accredited drug rehabilitation programmes is given in the following table:
	
		
			  Drug rehabilitation programmes 
			   £ million 
			 2004-05 13.8 
			 2005-06 19.4 
			 2006-07 19.4 
			 2007-08 19.4 
			 2008-09 19.4 
		
	
	Probation Boards fund the cost of providing programmes for offenders in the community through their main grant. Data are available only on the allocation of funds to deliver programmes to offenders under probation supervision which is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2005-06 77 
			 2006-07 85 
			 2007-08 86.5 
		
	
	There is no information relating to expenditure for years leading up to 2005.

Prison Service: Conditions of Employment

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what change to manager posts is proposed under the Prison Service's Workforce Modernisation proposals; and how many  (a) governor grade and  (b) operational manager posts are to be affected.

David Hanson: As part of the drive to deliver efficiency savings and improve the way in which the agency delivers its business, the Workforce Modernisation Programme proposes to streamline the number of management layers in establishments and reduce the number of managers by 1,100 over a period of five years. This will be achieved by setting a management benchmark at area level. There will be no need to impose compulsory redundancies to achieve this benchmark.
	Workforce modernisation will also develop the capability of managers by clarifying their role, responsibilities, development opportunities and career progression arrangements. This modernisation will be implemented alongside new pay and grading arrangements to ensure that staff are paid fairly for the work that they do.

Prison Service: Industrial Relations

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff grievances were lodged at each prison establishment in England and Wales in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

David Hanson: The National Offender Management Service does not hold the information centrally in the format requested. This could be obtained only at disproportionate cost through contact with each of the 138 prisons across the service.

Prison Service: Manpower

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has undertaken of the potential effect on the safety and stability of prisons of proposed changes in governor grade and operational manager posts in the Prison Service under the workforce modernisation proposals.

David Hanson: Extensive engagement with staff, including governors and area managers, has led to the development of a set of proposals which the NOMS Board—including the chief operating officer—are satisfied will deliver more efficient ways of working while maintaining the current levels of safety and stability in establishments.

Prison Service: Sick Leave

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many working days were lost due to staff sickness in the Prison Service in the last five years for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of the consequential cost to the Prison Service in each of those years.

David Hanson: The following table contains information on the total number of working days lost to the public sector Prison Service through sickness absence in each year since 2003-04. The table also shows the average number of working days lost per employee of the public sector Prison Service during the same period. An estimate has been made of the overall cost of absence (at 2007 prices) for the public sector.
	Sickness absence accounted for 5.3 per cent. of all available working days in the public sector Prison Service in 2007-08. 41 per cent. of Prison Service staff had no sickness absence in the 12 months to June 2008. Sickness absence rates have fallen by 12 per cent. since 2003-04 and by 20 per cent. since 2002. The reduction in absence rates since 2003-04 has saved an estimated £10.8 million.
	Information has not been provided for the privately contracted prisons. As private companies, the contractors bear the costs of their staff sickness. The costs do not fall on public funds.
	
		
			  Total working days lost and cost of sickness absence in the public sector Prison Service, 2003-04 to 2007-08 
			   Working days lost  Average working days lost  Estimated cost( 1 ) (£ million) 
			 2003-04 628,623 13.31 83.4 
			 2004-05 616,367 12.68 81.7 
			 2005-06 589,211 12.17 78.1 
			 2006-07 573,071 11.64 76.0 
			 2007-08 590.936 11.70 78.4 
			 (1) The cost of a day is estimated as £132.62. This does not include other costs associated with sickness absence.

Prisoners

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners on average were serving sentences of  (a) less than three months,  (b) between three and six months and  (c) between six and 12 months in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: The requested information for all prison establishments in England and Wales as at 30 June each year can be found in the following table:
	
		
			   Total  Less than or equal to 3 months  Greater than 3 and less than or equal to 6 months  Greater than 6 months and less than 12 months  Greater than or equal to 12 months 
			 2004 60,924 1,794 3,939 2,306 52,886 
			 2005 62,179 1,866 4,127 2,225 53,961 
			 2006 63,404 1,802 4,136 2,525 54,942 
			 2007 65,533 1,547 3,597 2,462 57,928 
			 2008 68,124 1,829 4,027 2,866 59,403 
		
	
	These figures are a reworking of figures which are available at the website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/populationincustody.htm
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners Release

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many sentenced foreign prisoners were released from prisons in England and Wales in the last 12 months.

David Hanson: During 2007, the latest year for which the requested information is available, there were some 7,400 foreign national prisoners released from prison establishments in England and Wales. This includes those who were subsequently deported. Over 4,200 were deported or removed in 2007.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing so the figure given has been rounded.

Prisoners: Employment

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of offenders in the North East his Department has assisted into employment upon release from prison in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Hanson: The number and proportion of prisoners who were released from prisons in the North East and assisted into employment for 2007-08 is shown in the table. The table also includes the number and proportion of prisoners released from prisons in the North East with an education or training outcome for the same period.
	The percentage of prisoners discharged with an employment, education or training status, is given as a proportion of the number of prisoners discharged, excluding temporary releases and prisoners who are deported on release.
	
		
			  North east area : 2007-08 
			   Number  Percentage 
			 Number of prisoners discharged with an employment outcome 920 — 
			 Proportion of prisoners discharged with employment outcome — 16.0 
			 Number of prisoners discharged with an education or training outcome 531 — 
			 Proportion of prisoners discharged with education or training outcome — 9.2

Prisoners: Unemployment

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was paid as unemployment pay to prisoners in each prison in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

David Hanson: Prisoners are eligible for unemployment pay if they are willing to work, but the establishment cannot find suitable employment or the prisoner is unable to work. All prisoners who participate in purposeful activity must be paid. Those who refuse must not receive any pay.
	The Prison Service accounting system does not capture expenditure on prisoners' pay to level of detail required to answer the question fully. The Prison Service sets a minimum unemployed rate of £2.50 a week. However, Governors have devolved authority to set rates of pay for their establishment and these will reflect the particular regime activities. The total amount paid to prisoners as earnings in each of the last three years is as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2007-08 32,617,477 
			 2006-07 31,287,813 
			 2005-06 29,614,080 
		
	
	The Service is unable to sub-divide these totals any further without a full survey of all 138 public sector prisons which could be carried out only at a disproportionate cost.

Prisons: Construction

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  when his Department expects to complete its prison capacity building programme; and what estimate he has made of the running cost of the capacity added by the programme in each of the next 10 years;
	(2)  how many additional prison places his Department plans to provide in each of the next 10 years; and whether those figures include places in the proposed three Titan prisons;
	(3)  what the expected  (a) total and  (b) annual capital costs of his Department's plan for additional prison capacity are over the period of the plans.
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the running costs of the capacity added by his Department's prison capacity building programme in each of the next 10 years.

David Hanson: The prison capacity programme is expected to be complete by 2014. Once completed, the estimated annual running cost of new capacity is around £490 million.
	The following table shows the number of places, including those in prison clusters, to be delivered in each year of the programme to 2014. The number of places delivered per year may be subject to change due to a number of factors, for example the planning process and environmental issues. Prison clusters will provide up to 7,500 prison places (2,500 in each complex); 2,500 places will be additional capacity and 5,000 places will replace some of the most inefficient places in the prison estate.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2008 2,687 
			 2009 2,378 
			 2010 3,377 
			 2011 2,015 
			 2012 3,120 
			 2013 0 
			 2014 5,000 
		
	
	No decisions have been made on the provision of further capacity after the prison capacity programme is complete.
	The following table shows the current estimated capital cost of the capacity programme in each financial year to 2012. This does not include capital costs for the three prison clusters, but does include an allowance for the purchase of land for the first prison cluster.
	
		
			  Capital 
			   Current forecast (£ million) 
			 2006-07 190.88 
			 2007-08 373.39 
			 2008-09 413.25 
			 2009-10 494.44 
			 2010-11 327.02 
			 2011-12 295.3 
			 Total 2,094.28

Prisons: Population

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prison places are expected to be available in each year between 2007-08 and 2014-15.

David Hanson: The following table shows the number of prison places delivered during 2007-08 and those we anticipate being delivered in each financial year to 2014-15. including the three prison clusters. The number of places delivered per year may be subject to change due to a number of factors, for example the planning process and environmental issues.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2007-08 2,295 
			 2008-09 2,070 
			 2009-10 2,457 
			 2010-11 2,674 
			 2011-12 2,700 
			 2012-13 2,500 
			 2013-14 0 
			 2014-15 5,000

Reoffenders

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the average adult re-offending rate was for male prisoners two years after release in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the average adult re-offending rate was for female prisoners two years after release in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Hanson: Table 1 shows the one year reoffending rates for offenders leaving custody in the first quarter of the years 2000 to 2006, by gender (data for 2001 are unavailable due to problems with archived data for community sentences). The table shows the proportion of offenders that committed at least one further offence and the number of further offences committed per 100 offenders.
	
		
			  Table 1: One year reoffending rates, offenders leaving custody by gender, 2000-2006 
			 Number of offenders  Proportion of offenders offending (one year)  Number of offences per 100 offenders (one year) 
			 Male 2000 Q1 14,543 51.6 244.1 
			  2002 Q1 14,385 55.0 283.8 
			  2003 Q1 13,202 53.9 276.8 
			  2004 Q1 14,359 51.8 249.9 
			  2005 Q1 13,353 49.1 227.0 
			  2006 Q1 13,178 46.6 207.5 
			 Female 2000 Q1 1,184 48.0 262.5 
			  2002 Q1 1,193 55.8 340.9 
			  2003 Q1 1,156 54.1 305.1 
			  2004 Q1 1,402 53.7 285.2 
			  2005 Q1 1,242 49.1 244.8 
			  2006 Q1 1,202 45.0 218.6 
		
	
	Two year reoffending rates by gender are available for the 2000 to 2005 cohorts. For these cohorts, the only figures available are the proportion of offenders who committed a further offence within two years. These figures are shown in Table 2.
	
		
			  Table 2: Two year reoffending rates, offenders leaving custody by gender, 2000-2005 
			 Number of offenders  Proportion of offenders offending (two year) 
			 Male 2000 Q1 15,268 65.4 
			  2002 Q1 14,665 67.7 
			  2003 Q1 14,095 66.1 
			  2004 Q1 14,972 64.7 
			  2005 Q1 13,501 62.4 
			 Female 2000 Q1 1,259 58.2 
			  2002 Q1 1,222 64.6 
			  2003 Q1 1,199 63.4 
			  2004 Q1 1,408 64.3 
			  2005 Q1 1,203 59.4 
		
	
	It should be noted that comparisons between the one and two year rates should be interpreted with caution. This is due to a slight improvement in the method used to count offenders released from custody (or starting court orders under probation supervision) when we moved to measuring reoffending over one year rather than two.
	Further information on the one year rates of reoffending can be found in:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/reoffendingofadults.htm.
	Further information on the two year rates can be found in:
	http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hosb2505.pdf

Reoffenders: Homicide

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many occasions convicted murderers detained in  (a) secure mental health accommodation and  (b) prisons have committed murders after their release in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The annual Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Homicides, Firearm Offences and Intimate Violence" contains data on the number of offenders previously convicted of homicide who have been convicted of a further homicide after release or termination of sentence. The latest published version is for 2006-07. This is available at:
	www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/hosb0308.pdf
	The 2007-08 bulletin will be published in January 2009.
	
		
			   Number of offenders previously convicted of homicide (murder and manslaughter) who have been convicted of a further homicide after release or termination of sentence 
			 2002-03 1 
			 2003-04 1 
			 2004-05 3 
			 2005-06 1 
			 2006-07 1 
		
	
	Of all of the cases listed in the bulletin, one case recorded in 2004-05 involved a convicted murderer released from secure mental health accommodation. In three of the cases in the bulletin, the original index offence was manslaughter rather than murder.

Repossession Orders: Advisory Services

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what information his Department holds on the number of individuals who have accessed housing possession court duty schemes who had received no prior legal advice in the latest period for which figures are available.

Bridget Prentice: The Legal Services Commission does not record whether individuals accessing the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme have received prior legal advice. However, it would not expect the majority of individuals to have done so given the emergency nature of the advice.

Repossession Orders: Advisory Services

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many individuals have gained access to housing possession court duty schemes in each month since they were introduced.

Bridget Prentice: Between 2001 and 2005 the Legal Services Commission funded 13 pilot duty schemes as part of their research into alternative methods of delivery of legal services. These pilots assisted approximately 5,000 people per year. A monthly breakdown for this period could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	Since April 2005, over 87,000 acts of assistance have been given by LSC funded Housing Possession Court Duty Schemes. The following table provides a monthly breakdown.
	
		
			  Month  Acts of assistance  Annual total 
			 April 2005 563 — 
			 May 2005 553 — 
			 June2005 622 — 
			 July 2005 544 — 
			 August 2005 709 — 
			 September 2005 845 — 
			 October 2005 995 — 
			 November 2005 1,240 — 
			 December 2005 1,021 — 
			 January 2006 1,601 — 
			 February 2006 1,736 — 
			 March 2006 1,602 12,030 
			 April 2006 2,031 — 
			 May 2006 2,458 — 
			 June 2006 2,349 — 
			 July 2006 2,319 — 
			 August 2006 2,319 — 
			 September 2006 2,477 — 
			 October 2006 2,694 — 
			 November 2006 2,805 — 
			 December 2006 1,975 — 
			 January 2007 2,413 — 
			 February 2007 2,072 — 
			 March 2007 1,650 27,560 
			 April 2007 2,315 — 
			 May 2007 2,354 — 
			 June 2007 2,306 — 
			 July 2007 2,596 — 
			 August 2007 2,536 — 
			 September 2007 2,728 — 
			 October 2007 2,571 — 
			 November 2007 2,698 — 
			 December 2007 2,121 — 
			 January 2008 2,946 — 
			 February 2008 2,788 — 
			 March 2008 2,513 30,470 
			 April 2008 3,103 — 
			 May 2008 2,625 — 
			 June 2008 2,797 — 
			 July 2008 3,106 — 
			 August 2008 2,644 — 
			 September 2008 3,007 17,280

Tribunals: Witnesses

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent representations he has received from expert witnesses before the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal who consider that their professional reputation has been damaged as a consequence of tribunal judgments.

Bridget Prentice: The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal recently received a complaint from an expert witness. This was investigated and it was found that the complaint was as a result of an administrative error, and not a tribunal judgment. The tribunal service have apologised for its error.

PRIME MINISTER

Departmental Disabled Staff

Mark Harper: To ask the Prime Minister what conclusions his Office has reached in fulfilment of its duty under section 3.111 of the statutory code of practice of the disability equality duty.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office, my hon. Friend the hon. Member for West Bromwich, East (Tom Watson) on 10 December 2008,  Official Report, columns 173-74W.

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Prime Minister with reference to the answer of 4 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 336-37W, on Government Departments: information and communications technology, which IP addresses are used by  (a) his Office and  (b) computers in (i) his private office, (ii) the offices of its communications officials and (iii) the offices of his special advisers.

Gordon Brown: It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on security matters.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Grant Shapps: To ask the Prime Minister how many special advisers were employed in 10 Downing Street at each pay band on 30 November 2008; and what the expenditure on special advisers in 10 Downing Street was in 2007-08.

Gordon Brown: Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and overall cost of special advisers and the number in each pay band. Updated information will be published in the usual way.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Francis Maude: To ask the Prime Minister what was the cost of entertainment and hospitality in Downing Street and Chequers in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08.

David Simpson: To ask the Prime Minister what records his Office maintains of its expenditure on  (a) official hospitality and  (b) alcohol for official hospitality.

Gordon Brown: Details of the cost of entertainment and hospitality in Downing Street and Chequers are published annually.
	For information for 2007-08 I refer the hon. Members to the written statement I made on 22 July 2008,  Official Report, columns 108-10WS. For information for 2006-07 I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Cleethorpes (Shona McIsaac) on 25 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1108W.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Francis Maude: To ask the Prime Minister with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire (Mr. Heald) of 13 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1308W, on departmental public expenditure, whether the figure given for the running cost of his Office in 2007-08 includes the cost of  (a) the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit and  (b) the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: No.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Francis Maude: To ask the Prime Minister with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire (Mr. Heald) of 13 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1308W, on departmental public expenditure, what the figure for 2006-07 was.

Gordon Brown: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 22 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 1098-99W.

Departmental Rail Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 31 March 2008,  Official Report, column 551W.

Equitable Life

Jo Swinson: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his statement on 3 December 2008,  Official Report, column 38, for what reason the expected date of the Government's response to the Parliamentary Ombudsman's report on Equitable Life is not until January 2009.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Leader of the House of Commons to the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) during the Business Statement on 11 December 2008,  Official Report, column 677.

Nuclear Disarmament

Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister what matters concerning nuclear disarmament initiatives were discussed at his meeting with President Sarkozy of France on 8 December 2008.

Gordon Brown: I discussed a wide range of issue with President Sarkozy. I refer the hon. Member to the press conference I held with President Barroso and President Sarkozy on 8 December. A transcript is available on the No. 10 website:
	http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page17733
	A copy of this page has been placed in the Library of the House.

Security Commission

Francis Maude: To ask the Prime Minister how many investigations the Security Commission has undertaken into security breaches since 1997.

Gordon Brown: Since 1997 the Security Commission has undertaken two investigations. Copies of their findings were published by way of Command Paper—Cm 4578 and Cm 6177. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House.

World Economy

Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister with reference to the answer of 20 November 2008,  Official Report, column 662W, on the world economy, which ministers and officials accompanied him to Washington for the G20 economic summit on 15 November 2008; and if he will put on his Office's website all papers submitted to the summit.

Gordon Brown: I was accompanied to the G20 in Washington by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Minister for Economic Competitiveness and Small Business (Baroness Vadera).
	The Declaration of the Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy is available on the White House website:
	http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/11/20081115-1.html
	A copy of this webpage has been place in the Library of the House.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Allotments

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to bring forward legislative proposals on the size and number of allotments provided by local authorities.

Iain Wright: We do not have any current plans to bring forward legislative proposals on the plot size and number of allotments provided by local authorities.
	The provision of allotments is the responsibility of local authorities. Section 23 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908 places a duty on local authorities (except for inner London boroughs) to provide sufficient allotments where they consider that there is a demand for them in their area.
	Furthermore "Planning Policy Guidance Note 17: Planning for Open Space, Sport & Recreation, 2002" encourages local authorities to ensure that they provide an adequate number of allotments for their community and ascertain what is sufficient for their local area. The accompanying guidance to PPG 17 advises local authorities on setting local standards.

Business Improvement Districts

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what projects of work are being undertaken in each of the Business Improvement Districts that have been established to date in  (a) the South East and  (b) London.

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what projects are being undertaken in each of the business improvement districts established to date.

John Healey: The Department does not collate information on all projects of work that are being undertaken in each of the established Business Improvement Districts.
	The Government maintain a register, which gives brief details of prospective BIDs that are intending to go to ballot and whether these have been successful.
	The register can be accessed at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/busrats/bidsoct08.pdf

Christmas

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much has been spent on  (a) departmental Christmas parties and  (b) staff entertainment in the last three years.

Sadiq Khan: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Prisk) on 13 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1322W and the right hon. and learned Member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram) on 27 October 2008,  Official Report, column 717W.
	Figures for earlier years could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

Community Relations

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what mechanisms are in place to assess whether measures implemented as part of the Prevent strand of Project Contest  (a) are effective and  (b) deliver value for money.

Sadiq Khan: My Department recently published an assessment of the Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) Pathfinder 2007-08 year which describes the contribution that PVE Pathfinder projects made to Prevent objectives. It also contained a review of local evaluations of pathfinder work.
	Since Preventing Violent Extremism funding was issued to local authorities in March 2008, local authorities have been embedding the Prevent agenda in their performance management. All local authorities have to report on progress on the National Indicator (NI) 35 ("Building Resilience to Violent Extremism") and in June 2008, 19 local authorities selected NI 35 as a priority indicator as part of their local area agreements. NI 35 is replicated in the Assessments of Policing and Community Safety (APACS) performance framework as a key diagnostic indicator. The introduction of the comprehensive area assessment in April 2009 will further ensure effective and efficient performance by local authorities and other local partners on Prevent.
	The Audit Commission and Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary (HMIC) recent "Learning and Development Exercise" looked at what works and what barriers there are to the effective local delivery of Prevent. Work is under way to ensure that the findings of the review inform the approach of both central Government and local partners in delivering Prevent. HMIC are also carrying out an inspection of Prevent performance in all 43 police forces in England and Wales.

Community Relations

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how much money will be spent as part of the Prevent strand of Project Contest on targeting the risk of extremism amongst  (a) individuals who have had contact with the criminal justice system and  (b) individuals who are in prison in 2008-09;
	(2)  how much has been spent as part of the Prevent strand of Project Contest on targeting the risk of extremism amongst  (a) individuals who have had contact with the criminal justice system and  (b) individuals who are in prison in each year since 2003.

Sadiq Khan: The Home Office has funded a number of projects. The National Offender Management Service is taking forward a multi-disciplinary programme of work to manage the risks of violent extremist offenders which contributes to both PREVENT and PURSUE objectives and spans work with offenders in prison establishments and on licence in the community. Central funding for this programme is provided through the Office of Security and Counter Terrorism (OSCT) Prevent budget. Since 2005, OSCT has provided HM Prison Service (HMPS) with the following funding: 2005-06—£65,463, 2006-07—£140,535 and 2007-08—£822,542. £2.7 million has been allocated in 2008-09.
	£2.6 million OSCT funding has been allocated to the Youth Justice Board in this financial year to a two-year programme of work under the work stream of the Prevent Strategy aimed at 'supporting vulnerable individuals'. A total of 40 Youth Offending Team/Youth Secure Estate projects have been funded so far with a further 10 project bids expected to be submitted for a one-year funding round in 2009-10. Projects cover a wide range of interventions and are aimed at vulnerable young people who have been involved in or who may be at risk of entering the criminal justice system.

Community Relations

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how much her Department forecasts will be spent on the Prevent strand of Project Contest in 2008-09;
	(2)  how much has been spent on implementing the Prevent strand of Project Contest since 2003.

Sadiq Khan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester (Mr. Dhanda) to the hon. Member for North Cornwall (Dan Rogerson) on 16 July 2008,  Official Report, columns 483-84W, concerning the costs of the Preventing Violent Extremism (PREVENT) programme in CLG since its inception. My Department has budgeted to spend £8.5 million on PREVENT-related projects in the financial year 2008-09.
	In addition, other Government Departments will be supporting projects, principally the Home Office which has spent £15.07 million between April 2007 and the end of November 2008. Furthermore other Departments and the police are providing funding for projects and activities contributing to Prevent. We are also making a provision of £12 million to local authorities through Area Based Grant, although as this will be un-ringfenced grant, it will be for the relevant local authority to decide how it is spent.

Departmental Air Travel

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend, East (James Duddridge), of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 298-99W, on departmental air travel, if she will place in the Library the finalised figures for 2007-08.

Sadiq Khan: A copy of Communities and Local Government's 2007-08 air mileage data used to calculate the departmental payment to the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund will be placed in the Library and is as follows:
	
		
			  Category  Distance (km) 
			 Domestic air travel 158,774 
			 Short-haul air travel 478,261 
			 Long-haul air travel 315,288 
			 Total 952,323 
			  Note:  These data do not include travel undertaken by the Department's Executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies or the regional Government offices. 
		
	
	All official travel is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the 'Civil Service Management Code'.

Departmental Gifts

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many members of staff in her Department have received gifts valued at £100 or higher in the course of their duties in each of the last three years; what these gifts were; and from whom they were received.

Sadiq Khan: One member of staff only has received a gift of £100 or higher in the course of their duties over the past three years. The gift of a digital camera was kept for departmental use within our Communications Directorate. The gift was received from a party of Japanese volunteer and career fire fighters for attending an Emergency Planning Authority training centre at Southwark on 23 October 2006.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many special advisers were employed in her Department at each pay band on 30 November 2008; and what her Department's total expenditure on special advisers was in 2007-08.

Sadiq Khan: The Government are committed to publishing an annual list detailing the number and costs of special advisers. Information for 2007-08 was published by the Prime Minister on 22 July 2008,  Official Report, columns 99-102WS.

Departmental Pay

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make it her policy to ensure that those temporary and permanent employees at the same grade in her Department who are paid at an hourly rate are paid at the same rate.

Sadiq Khan: The policy in the Department is for all employees whether they are permanent or temporary contracts to be treated the same in terms of pay. However as each grade has an associated pay range with minimum and maximum pay points, all employees in the same grade, whatever their contractual status, will not necessarily be paid at the same hourly rate.

Departmental Procurement

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of invoices for goods and services procured from small and medium-sized businesses were paid within 10 days of receipt by  (a) her Department and  (b) the agencies for which her Department is responsible in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08; and if she will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: This information is not available.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government measured and reported the proportion of invoices paid within the 30-day target for the years 2006-07 and 2007-08. Reported performance for these years was 95.37 per cent. and 92.94 per cent. respectively. The introduction of a 10-day target took effect from the current financial year.
	Work is now in hand to ensure that we can measure payment performance against a 10-day target and to separately identify payment times to small and medium enterprises.
	Payment performance in the Department's agencies has generally met the target of paying 98 per cent. of invoices within 30 days of the invoice date. The Department is currently liaising with its agencies on the best way forward with the new target and figures are not currently available.

Departmental Rail Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what date she last used a train in the course of her official duties.

Sadiq Khan: Thursday 4 December 2008.

Empty Property

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many empty properties there were in each local authority area in each of the last 10 years.

Iain Wright: I have placed in the Library of the House a table showing the number of long-term empty homes (i.e. domestic properties) reported by each billing authority since 2004 on annual CTB1 and CTB1S forms submitted to Communities and Local Government. Reliable estimates before 2004 are not available.
	Information about the number of empty non-domestic properties is not available centrally.

Energy Performance Certificates

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans her Department has to  (a) collect,  (b) monitor and  (c) publish information gathered from energy performance certificates.

Iain Wright: Information used to produce energy performance certificates is collected and lodged on a central register, and monitored by the accreditation schemes responsible for accrediting the energy assessors, who carry out the energy assessments. In accordance with the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007, Regulation 37, the keeper of the register may disclose any document or data to an officer of the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government provided that no particular property is identifiable from the document disclosed.

Fire Services

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many incidents of spillage and leakage other than those associated with road traffic accidents were attended by fire and rescue services in each year since 1994.

Sadiq Khan: The number of spills and leaks incidents attended by the Fire and Rescue Service other than those associated with road traffic accidents, in England, is set out as follows:
	
		
			   Number of incidents 
			 1994-95 11,261 
			 1995-96 13,228 
			 1996-97 12,865 
			 1997-98 13,153 
			 1998-99 12,864 
			 1999-2000 12,160 
			 2000-01 13,529 
			 2001-02 14,140 
			 2002-03 13,097 
			 2003-04 11,189 
			 2004-05 9,488 
			 2005-06 9,188 
			 2006-07 8,863 
			 2007-08 7,933

Fire Services: Death

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps her Department has taken following the Coroner's recommendation in his verdict on the death of Adam Meere.

Sadiq Khan: The Coroner's recommendations were directed to the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority. However, an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive following the death of Adam Meere is still ongoing. In line with current procedures, the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser will consider any issues of national significance arising from the investigation.

Fire Services: Finance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent meetings she has had with representatives of fire and rescue services affected by the current floors and ceilings revenue finding formula; and if she will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: Meetings were held with local authorities between 6 December 2007 and 8 January 2008, including six fire and rescue authorities, as part of the consultation period on the 2008-09 local government finance settlement. In addition, a meeting was held with one fire and rescue authority to discuss the settlement in March 2008.
	We are currently consulting on the 2009-10 settlement and we welcome written representations from fire and rescue authorities by 7 January 2009.

Fire Services: Floods

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations she has received on the provision of flood response equipment to firefighters.

Sadiq Khan: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 9 December 2008,  Official Report, column 57W.

Fire Services: Procurement

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she expects to respond to the outcomes of the consultation on the fire and rescue services' National Procurement Strategy; and if she will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 11 December 2008,  Official Report, column 250W.

Fires: Death

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer of 10 December 2008,  Official Report, columns 136-8W, on fires: death, if she will make it her policy to collect data by type of tenure.

Sadiq Khan: I have asked officials to ensure that practicalities of collecting this information are fully explored as part of the review of the information recorded at incidents attended by fire and rescue services. This is scheduled to take place in the summer and autumn of next year.

Home Information Packs

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the Explanatory Memorandum for the Home Information Pack (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2008, for what reasons her Department is not producing a consolidated version of the amended home information pack regulations.

Iain Wright: We have yet to take a decision on consolidating amendments to the Home Information Pack regulations, but we keep this under review.

Home Information Packs

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what advice her Department has given to local authorities on enforcement of the home information pack regulations since they were implemented;
	(2)  pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 8 December 2008,  Official Report, column 24WS, on home buying and selling, what guidance has been given to local authority trading standards on enforcement and tackling non-compliance.

Iain Wright: The Department has provided specialist procedural guidance for use by local authority trading standards offices on the HIP duties and their enforcement. There is a copy of this guidance on our website at:
	www.homeinformationpacks.gov.uk
	The Department also maintains regular contacts with LACORS (the Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services) on these matters.

Housing: Construction

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will respond to the Office of Fair Trading's report on homebuilding in the UK; what assessment she has made of the extent to which homebuilders have faults in properties they have constructed; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: Since 2004, the housebuilding industry has routinely monitored levels of customer satisfaction with its performance, against a range of indicators. These include the response to—and treatment of—defects arising from the construction process reported by new build home purchasers. This issue has further been considered and assessed in a number of recent reports including the "Barker Review of Housing Supply", the "Callcutt Review of the Homebuilding Industry" and the recent Office of Fair Trading (OFT) market study "Homebuilding in the UK". This latter study gave particular consideration to the ways in which the fault remedying processes could be improved, and the OFT struck a voluntary agreement with the industry to set up a body to deliver a code of conduct and redress scheme for consumers. This scheme is being implemented according to timetable.
	The Government expect to publish its response to the OFT report within the usual timeframe of 90 days from the date of publication.

Housing: Finance

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much housing and planning delivery grant has been allocated to the London Borough of  (a) Waltham Forest and  (b) Redbridge for (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10.

Iain Wright: In 2008-09 the London borough of Waltham Forest was awarded £155,055 and the London borough of Redbridge £1,391,132 under the Housing and Planning Delivery Grant. Individual local authority allocations for 2009-10 have not yet been announced.

Housing: Heating

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make it her policy to amend Part L of the Building Regulations to make the specification of A-rated circulatory pumps mandatory from 2010.

Iain Wright: My Department is proposing to amend Part L of the Building Regulations to include, for the first time, standards for circulatory pumps from 2010. My officials have been working with the British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) (which account for approximately 85 per cent. of the UK market for pumps) to develop agreed proposals. The BPMA have proposed that for 2010 the Regulations should, as a first step, introduce the Europump labelling scheme for circulators in domestic heating systems and variable speed drives for larger water pumps. The eventual proposals will be the subject of formal consultation in 2009.

Housing: Low Incomes

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many applicants are registered on social housing waiting lists in each London borough.

Iain Wright: Local authorities in England report the number of households on their housing waiting list as at 1 April in their annual Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix returns. Where local authorities and registered social landlords operate a common register, households registered with the RSL will be included in the data. However, registered social landlords are independent bodies and can keep their own waiting lists. Information on the number of households on local authorities' waiting lists is published on the Communities and Local Government website in Table 600 at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/144458.xls.
	Copies of this table have been deposited in the Library of the House.
	The number of households on local authorities' waiting lists in each London borough in 2007 is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of households on the waiting list (excludes households looking for transfers)—2007 
			   Number 
			  Inner London 157,840 
			 Camden 10,440 
			 City of London 1,340 
			 Hackney 8,570 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 8,100 
			 Haringey 10,250 
			 Islington 10,600 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 10,340 
			 Lambeth 14,500 
			 Lewisham 19,850 
			 Newham 24,160 
			 Southwark 8,990 
			 Tower Hamlets 13,980 
			 Wandsworth 8,700 
			 Westminster 8,020 
			   
			  Outer London 176,020 
			 Barking and Dagenham 9,190 
			 Barnet 17,910 
			 Bexley 6,120 
			 Brent 18,610 
			 Bromley 4,430 
			 Croydon 9,780 
			 Ealing 20,650 
			 Enfield 6,990 
			 Greenwich 12,180 
			 Harrow 4,970 
			 Havering 5,480 
			 Hillingdon 8,050 
			 Hounslow 9,920 
			 Kingston upon Thames 5,620 
			 Merton 5,890 
			 Redbridge 11,400 
			 Richmond upon Thames 4,580 
			 Sutton 4,120 
			 Waltham Forest 10,170 
			   
			 London 333,860 
			  Note: As reported by local authorities.  Source: Communities and Local Government Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix return (HSSA) 
		
	
	The size of the waiting list is not an indicator of absolute need; it is only useful as a broad indicator of housing demand in an area. Not everyone on the waiting list is necessarily in urgent housing need. The waiting list includes those who consider social housing as their preferred or one of a number of housing options, and those who decide to get onto the waiting list ladder before they need or want to move house.

Housing: Prices

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average house price for properties purchased by a first-time buyer in England was on the latest date for which figures are available.

Iain Wright: The average mix-adjusted house price paid by a first time buyer in England during October 2008 was £152,042.
	 Source:
	Communities and Local Government monthly house price index.

Housing: Regeneration

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what changes are being made to the building targets in the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder areas as a result of the economic downturn.

Iain Wright: From 1 December 2008 it is now the responsibility of the Homes and Communities Agency to negotiate building targets with Housing Market Renewal pathfinders, and this will take into consideration local market conditions.

Housing: Sales

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 December 2008,  Official Report, column 24WS, on home buying and selling, who the members are of the stakeholder panel.

Iain Wright: The membership of the Home buying stakeholder advisory panel, chaired by the Housing Minister, currently comprises:
	The Law Society, Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), Association of Home information Pack Providers (AHIPP), Council of Property Search Organisations ((CoPSO), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Which?, Local Government Association (LGA), Land Registry, Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR) and Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

Housing: Sales

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 December 2008,  Official Report, columns 24-26WS, on home buying and selling, what the evidential basis was on which the decision to end first day marketing on 6 April 2009 was made.

Iain Wright: It is the Government's policy that HIPs should be available on the first day of marketing. The temporary concession to the policy served a valuable role in smoothing the introduction of HIPs. However, evidence from our area trials, consumer focus groups and gathered through our on-going monitoring of HIPs indicates that consumers are not being shown the HIP and that is in part due to the temporary exemption from the policy. Our decision is also supported by research from Europe Economics, which shows that HIPs have no impact on house prices or transactions.

Housing: Sales

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 December 2008,  Official Report, column 24WS, on home buying and selling, what the penalties are for a seller giving misleading or incorrect information on a property information questionnaire in a home information pack.

Iain Wright: Where the seller gives misleading or incorrect information in the PIQ this may constitute misrepresentation and could lead to the buyer rescinding the contract where the buyer has relied on this information, as is currently the case where similar information is given verbally.

Housing: Sales

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 December 2008,  Official Report, column 24WS, on home buying and selling, in what ways from April 2009 estate agents will be able to advise buyers about properties they expect to be coming onto the market soon which do not have a completed home information pack.

Iain Wright: A home information pack is only required where action is taken with the intention of marketing a particular property. That is the current position and will still be the position in April 2009.

Housing: Sales

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 December 2008,  Official Report, column 24WS, on home buying and selling, who the members of the working group convened by the Land Registry are; what its terms of reference are; and when it will be required to report.

Iain Wright: My right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing announced in the written ministerial statement of 8 December that:
	"I have asked Ted Beardsall, former Deputy Chief Executive of the Land Registry, to convene a working group to consider how these (property searches) might be made simpler and more easy to use".
	The membership of this group and its terms of reference will be agreed in the new year.

Housing: Sales

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 December 2008,  Official Report, column 24WS, on home buying and selling, who produced the survey on the 16,000 transactions; and if she will place a full copy of the survey research in the Library.

Iain Wright: The survey was carried out by the Connells Group and reported in their press notice dated 13 October 2008.

Housing: Sales

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 December 2008,  Official Report, column 24WS, on home buying and selling, who the members of the working group on home condition reports will be; what its terms of reference are; and when it will be required to report.

Iain Wright: Membership of the working group on condition information will be agreed in the new year.

Housing: Sales

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 December 2008,  Official Report, column 24WS, on home buying and selling, what obligation owners will have to mention in the home information pack that their home is subject to flood risk; and whether sellers will have the right to omit this information.

Iain Wright: The home information pack will include a Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) from 6 April 2009. Prospective sellers are required to complete a PIQ, which contains two questions relating to flood risk.

Housing: Thames Gateway

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many  (a) social housing new build completions and  (b) private enterprise new build house completions there have been in each local authority area in the Thames Gateway growth area in each of the last eight years.

Iain Wright: Tables showing house building private enterprise and social rent completions in each local authority in the Thames Gateway growth area for the last eight years are shown as follows.
	
		
			  House building completions by tenure, in the Thames Gateway growth area, from 2000-01 until 2007-08 
			   2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04 
			   Private enterprise  Social rent  Private enterprise  Social rent  Private enterprise  Social rent  Private enterprise  Social rent 
			 Barking and Dagenham — 50 107 140 — 30 191 80 
			 Basildon 636 60 392 10 193 50 294 70 
			 Bexley 384 40 196 10 247 100 687 30 
			 Castle Point 77 10 75 — 92 — 73 — 
			 Dartford 213 20 185 20 378 20 558 170 
			 Gravesham 58 20 32 10 134 40 134 20 
			 Greenwich 439 160 1,027 140 1,263 130 710 320 
			 Havering 246 10 174 180 238 40 283 30 
			 Lewisham 1 110 25 130 397 80 — 190 
			 Medway 832 70 519 30 566 — 459 40 
			 Newham 346 50 562 120 426 80 — 90 
			 Rochford 148 10 151 — 144 — 191 — 
			 Southend-on-Sea 102 20 45 60 142 — 134 — 
			 Swale 500 40 456 60 404 60 343 20 
			 Thurrock 611 — 810 10 963 — 819 10 
			 Tower Hamlets — 210 1,014 360 990 340 1,675 400 
		
	
	
		
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			   Private enterprise  Social rent  Private enterprise  Social rent  Private enterprise  Social rent  Private enterprise  Social rent 
			 Barking and Dagenham 236 130 249 180 278 120 642 60 
			 Basildon 295 70 234 160 360 80 428 140 
			 Bexley 101 20 103 50 123 50 152 90 
			 Castle Point 116 30 176 — 233 — 76 n/a 
			 Dartford 328 70 299 20 325 20 699 60 
			 Gravesham 428 40 199 40 230 50 173 60 
			 Greenwich 1,326 110 749 110 828 280 — n/a 
			 Havering 385 70 474 10 488 90 465 110 
			 Lewisham — 370 — 210 556 170 771 150 
			 Medway 487 50 472 70 306 80 — n/a 
			 Newham — 200 — 140 — 260 — n/a 
			 Rochford 88 10 161 50 353 — 202 — 
			 Southend-on-Sea 262 20 357 20 214 10 271 n/a 
			 Swale 392 30 461 50 637 50 — n/a 
			 Thurrock 639 10 610 60 631 20 161 10 
			 Tower Hamlets 2,508 200 1,400 750 1,451 760 1,145 310 
			  Notes: 1. The Thames Gateway comprises of parts of 16 local authorities. 2. Figures are as reported by the local authorities and the National House-Building Council. Where local authorities submitted no P2 returns for one or more quarters, no figure has been presented in the quarter or annual total as presenting NHBC information only would under-report the true level of house building completions in the local authority. 3. For social rent new build: The figures exclude acquisitions The figures are shown by the location LA, not by funding LA. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 because they can include imputation for missing returns. 2007-08 figures are not available, so have been estimated based on the trend in the registered Social Landlord new build completions between 2006-07 and 2007-08 (Castle Point, Southend-on Sea, Greenwich, Newham, Swale and Medway could not be estimated)  Sources: Private enterprise: New build completions from P2 monthly and quarterly returns submitted by local authorities and the National House-Building Council to CLG. Social rent: Social Housing completion figures are Social Rent New Build figures from the Housing Corporation Investment Management System (IMS) and HSSA and P2 returns submitted to CLG by local authorities.

Local Government: Elections

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what targets the Government have set for voter turnout at local elections; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: The Government have not set any targets for voter turnout at local elections.

Local Government: Norfolk

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she expects the Boundary Commission to report on the issue of unitary status for Norfolk and its councils.

John Healey: The Boundary Committee is due to provide advice by 13 February 2009. The deadline has recently been extended from 31 December 2008 to enable the Boundary Committee to fully comply with its duties to consult.

Multiple Occupation

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will instruct the Building Research Establishment to take evidence from hon. Members as part of its review into houses of multiple occupation.

Iain Wright: Hon. Members may provide evidence on houses in multiple occupation and the licensing regime to the Building Research Establishment (BRE) at the following email address:
	breresearch@bre.co.uk
	They may also send evidence to BRE Research (HMO and Selective Licensing), BRE, Bucknalls Lane, Watford, Hertfordshire WD25 9XX.
	Responses must be received by 30 January.

Regional Planning and Development: Ebbsfleet

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment her Department has made of the progress that is being made towards achieving the target of creating 20,000 new jobs in the Ebbsfleet Valley.

Iain Wright: Ebbsfleet Valley will, in the main, be delivered through private sector investment and, in the short term, progress will largely be governed by what is possible for the private sector to achieve under current economic conditions. However, the Ebbsfleet Valley development has always been a long-term project and as the market improves we expect the overall targets to be achieved.

Regional Planning and Development: Ebbsfleet

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps her Department is taking to help achieve the target of creating 20,000 new jobs in the Ebbsfleet Valley; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: The Government are supporting the necessary infrastructure required to help private sector developers achieve their aspirations for Ebbsfleet. The Homes and Communities Agency is considering a contribution to the Homes and Roads project which will provide a series of transport initiatives to improve access and traffic flow to the area and fund public transport improvements. My Department has also funded the Fastrack rapid transit system, which will link Ebbsfleet Valley with the wider Kent Thameside regeneration area. Ebbsfleet is already connected to the European High Speed rail network. Domestic high speed services from Ebbsfleet to St. Pancras start in 2009, increasing the attractiveness of the location for development, investment and employers.

Social Housing Grant

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the Homes and Communities Agency will announce its decisions on bids from registered social landlords and arm's length management organisations for social housing grant.

Iain Wright: The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) is continuing to operate the same systems for the Affordable Housing Programme as were in place for the Housing Corporation. Bids for the Affordable Housing Programme are being considered continuously without a fixed timetable or deadline, to facilitate as much flexibility as possible. The HCA will publish quarterly, on their website:
	www.homesandcommunities.co.uk
	the allocations made as a result of approvals of these bids.

Supporting People Programme

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the Supporting People funding settlement and administration grant is for each London Borough in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the indicative allocations of funding covering 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing on 6 December 2007,  Official Report, column 81WS, and to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing on 4 February 2008,  Official Report, column 47-48WS, confirming Supporting People final grant allocations for 2008-09. Tables showing the Supporting People allocations were placed in the House of Commons Library following these statements, and in these my hon. Friend will find the Supporting People grant allocations given to each local authority for 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11.
	The Supporting People programme funding allocations for 2008-09 and the indicative allocations for 2009-10 for each London borough are as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Allocation 2008-09  Indicative allocation 2009-10 
			 Barking and Dagenham 5.416 5.651 
			 Barnet 7.803 7.803 
			 Bexley 3.194 3.417 
			 Brent 12.807 12.807 
			 Bromley 5.428 5.428 
			 Camden 33.937 32.240 
			 Corporation of London 0.694 0.682 
			 Croydon 8.952 8.952 
			 Ealing 11.125 11.125 
			 Enfield 11.055 11.055 
			 Greenwich 9.954 9.954 
			 Hackney 22.222 22.222 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 12.669 12.035 
			 Haringey 20.682 19.648 
			 Harrow 3.833 3.833 
			 Havering 2.759 2.952 
			 Hillingdon 5.954 5.954 
			 Hounslow 5.913 6.060 
			 Islington 15.935 15.935 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 10.670 10.136 
			 Kingston upon Thames 4.406 4.406 
			 Lambeth 20.792 20.792 
			 Lewisham 17.220 17.220 
			 Merton 3.385 3.385 
			 Newham 11.843 12.458 
			 Redbridge 4.781 5.115 
			 Richmond upon Thames 2.848 2.848 
			 Southwark 18.766 18.766 
			 Sutton 3.667 3.667 
			 Tower Hamlets 15.385 15.385 
			 Waltham Forest 8.435 8.859 
			 Wandsworth 11.177 11.177 
			 Westminster 17.052 17.052 
		
	
	From 2008-09, the Supporting People administrative grant is no longer a separate allocation and is paid to each local authority as part of their area based grant.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Departmental Data Protection

Paul Holmes: To ask the Leader of the House how many civil servants in her Office have been  (a) investigated,  (b) suspended and  (c) dismissed for (i) losing and (ii) deliberately disclosing (A) data stored on her Office's equipment and (B) confidential information in each year since 1997.

Chris Bryant: There have been no cases relating to the loss or deliberate disclosure of data in the Leader of the House of Commons Office since 1997.

Departmental Rail Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Leader of the House on what date she last used a train in the course of her official duties.

Chris Bryant: My right hon. Friend the Leader of the House last used a train in the course of her duties on Friday, 28 November 2008. All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Business: North Yorkshire

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many new businesses registered for VAT in Vale of York constituency in each year from 1997.

Ian Pearson: The number of businesses registering for VAT in Vale of York constituency in each year since 1997 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Vale of York, businesses registering for VAT 
			   Number of  registration s 
			 1997 315 
			 1998 320 
			 1999 350 
			 2000 325 
			 2001 320 
			 2002 425 
			 2003 410 
			 2004 405 
			 2005 350 
			 2006 370 
			 2007 405 
			  Source: BERR National Statistics publication "Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and de-registrations 2007" available at: http://stats.berr.gov.uk/ed/vat/index.htm 
		
	
	The number of new VAT registrations in Vale of York exceeded the number of de-registrations in every year since 1997.
	VAT registrations do not capture all business activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which was £64,000 at the start of 2007. Only 1.96 million out of 4.7 million UK enterprises (42 per cent.) were registered for VAT at the start of 2007.

Business: North Yorkshire

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many businesses in Vale of York constituency were VAT-registered in each year from 1997.

Ian Pearson: The number of businesses registered for VAT in Vale of York constituency between the start of 1997 and the start of 2008 is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Vale of York constituency: VAT registered business 
			   Number 
			 1997 4,345 
			 1998 4,380 
			 1779 4,430 
			 2000 4,520 
			 2001 4,575 
			 2002 4,652 
			 2003 4,730 
			 2004 4,820 
			 2005 4,920 
			 2006 4,955 
			 2007 5,005 
			 2008 5,090 
			  Source: BERR national statistics publication 'Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and de-registrations 2007' available at: http://stats.berr.gov.uk/ed/vat/index/htm 
		
	
	The number of VAT-registered businesses in Vale of York constituency rose from 4,345 at the start of 1997 to 5,090 at the start of 2008—a rise of 17 per cent.
	VAT registrations do not capture all business activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which was £64,000 at the start of 2007. Only 1.96 million out of 4.7 million UK enterprises (42 per cent.) were registered for VAT at the start of 2007.

Departmental ICT

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what IT projects  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies is undertaking; and what the most recent estimate of (i) the cost and (ii) the completion date of each is.

Patrick McFadden: The current IT projects being undertaken in BERR, their lifetime costs, and expected completion dates into service are as follows:
	HR Online—a new HR system for professional users and individual self help services, at an estimated life-time cost of £14 million up until the end of 2012.
	SPIRE 3—enhancements to an existing system supporting export control, at an estimated life-time cost of £1 million up until the end of 2011.
	RITE—a system allowing remote and secure access to BERR's IT systems, at an estimated development and implementation cost of £800,000, with on-going support costs and length of contract still the subject of negotiation with the Department's preferred IT supplier.
	Point of Single Contact—this is an EU Directive and is funded by the EU, at an estimated implementation cost of £1.6 million, with on-going support costs and length of contract still being negotiated with the supplier.
	I have asked the chief executives of the agencies Insolvency Service and Companies House to reply to the hon. Member directly.

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with reference to the answer of 4 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 336-7W, on Government Departments: information and communications technology, which IP addresses are used by  (a) his Department and  (b) computers in the offices of its (i) Ministers, (ii) communications officials and (iii) special advisers.

Patrick McFadden: To help defend against electronic attack, it is standard good information security practice for corporate IT systems, not to publish internal IP addresses. When accessing internet websites, the IP addresses of all of the computers on the Department internal office IT system are hidden behind the following IP addresses which are publicly available: 164.36.50.240, 164.36.50.240 and 164.36.50.217.

Departmental Publications

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he expects to publish his Department's autumn performance report.

Patrick McFadden: The BERR autumn performance report 2008 was published online on 11 December 2008.

Electronic Equipment: Waste Disposal

Greg Clark: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the effect of the waste electrical and electronic equipment regulations on the market for compact fluorescent lamps; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: No assessment has been made of the effect of the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) regulations on the market for compact fluorescent lamps.
	During Compliance Period 1 (1 July 2007 to 31 December 2007) 12.818 tonnes of WEEE was collected in category 5 covering lighting equipment, including light bulbs and household luminaries.
	The Department will continue to work with industry, as the UK WEEE system matures, to ensure that the separate collection of all categories of WEEE are maximised.

Internet

John Thurso: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether he is considering measures to regulate the administration of UK internet domain names; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: The Government have no proposals in relation to Nominet. Officials in my Department have written to the company seeking clarification of how the present governance of the company reflects the wider stakeholder interest in Nominet's activities in regard to the management of .co.uk Domain Name System. We understand that the company has commissioned an independent review in order to reply fully to that request. We look forward to the outcome of that review.

Post Offices

Peter Lilley: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the extent of queuing at post offices.

Patrick McFadden: These are operational matters for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the right hon. Member. Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
	Consumer Focus has recently published a report about queuing times at Crown and franchised post offices. The report is available on the Consumer Focus website at:
	www.consumerfocus.org.uk

Regulation: Departmental Co-Ordination

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with reference to the answer of 19 November 2008,  Official Report, column 545W, on regulation: departmental co-ordination, whether the Code of Practice on Guidance applies to  (a) non-departmental public bodies and  (b) arms-length public sector regulators.

Ian Pearson: The Code of Practice on Guidance applies to regulatory guidance issued to business and third sector organisations from Government Departments and non-departmental bodies. It only applies to arms-length public sector regulators when they issue regulatory guidance which affects business and the third sector.
	The code also provides a model which may be helpful in other circumstances and can be found at
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file46950.pdf.

VAT: Small Businesses

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what representations he has received on the effect on small businesses of administering the temporary change to rates of value added tax.

Ian Pearson: My Department is in regular contact with small businesses and their representatives on a range of issues. I am aware that some businesses will face implementation difficulties, but it is important to make this change quickly—to make goods and services cheaper and, by encouraging spending, help stimulate growth.
	HMRC is providing advice and guidance to all VAT registered businesses to help them implement this change.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Climate Change

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the  (a) objectives,  (b) proposed timescale and  (c) estimated costs are of his Department's proposed climate change assessment for Afghanistan.

Douglas Alexander: The current DFID-funded climate change assessment for Afghanistan will assess the impact of forecast climate change, including the impact of drought on the domestic wheat harvest and its contribution to food insecurity, raise national and international awareness of the risks, and support the government of Afghanistan, donors, the private sector and NGOs in implementing policies to adapt to and mitigate changes. The assessment is expected to be completed by the end of January 2009. DFID has budgeted up to £110,585 for the assessment.

Climate Change

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of its capacity to adapt to climate change; and what plans he has to publish a climate change adaptation strategy.

Gareth Thomas: Climate change poses a serious long-term threat to development in poor countries. The Department for International Development (DFID) is committed to helping countries manage impacts and integrate climate risks and responses into development. Further information on DFID's climate change adaptation policies are available on the DFID website:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/
	In addition, the cross-Government Adapting to Climate Change programme increases Government's capacity to adapt by ensuring a co-ordinated approach across all Departments and the public sector. This includes implementation of the adaptation aspects of the Climate Change Act, such as development of the national climate risk assessment. Information about the programme can be found at
	www.defra.gov/adaptation.

Departmental ICT

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to the answer of 30 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 1323-24W, on departmental ICT, what the  (a) expected completion date and  (b) expected cost was at the outset of each project.

Douglas Alexander: The original planned completion date for the ARIES Finance, Procurement and Reporting System was end of October 2008. The original contracted cost of the project was £11 million. Built into the original contract were a number of additional cost options (such as usability improvements, improved compliance with Accessibility and Disability Equality standards and a major software upgrade) which were subsequently taken up. This further work has extended the project time and cost. The current total contract value is £17.6 million, and is now due to complete in September 2009.
	The Web Transformation project is on track to complete in July 2009. The original projected budget was £2.0 million and the current forecast is £2.5 million.
	The Knowledge and Information Management Programme is at an early stage but is on track to complete in March 2011. The original cost estimate of £6.8 million is still accurate.
	The Information Technology Infrastructure Programme (ITIP) is on track to complete in March 2011. The original estimate of £5.0 million is still accurate.

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to the answer of 6 May 2008,  Official Report, column 778W, on the departmental internet, if he will list the changes made.

Ivan Lewis: While the Department for International Development logs the addresses of websites visited by its staff using official equipment, it does not log details of updates made to Wikipedia.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to the answer of 28 October 2008,  Official Report, column 935W, on departmental temporary employment, how many staff were recruited through each company in each year; and for how long on average staff recruited through these companies worked for the Department in each year.

Ivan Lewis: As temporary agency staff are not employed by DFID, they are not paid directly through our payroll, nor are they recorded centrally on our HR database. Consequently there is no historical record of how many staff were recruited through each company, and it is not possible to say for how long on average staff worked in DFID in each year.

Departmental Work Experience

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many individuals have worked in his Department on  (a) paid and  (b) unpaid work experience or internships in each of the last three years; on average how many hours a week were worked by such people in each year; what types of work each was involved in; what proportion were in full-time education; what proportion did not complete their set period of work experience; and how much those who received remuneration were paid on average per week in each year.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for International Development (DFID) has participated in two cross-Government internship schemes aimed at helping address the historic under-representation of women, ethnic minority groups and people with a disability in the civil service. These programmes are specifically for undergraduates/graduates from those groups and are focused on developing an increased understanding of civil service career opportunities. As such, the opportunities provided encompass a wide range of roles across the department. In each of the last three years, eight internships were offered under these schemes. Participants on the scheme worked an average of 36 hours a week. In 2006, the average salary received was £319 a week. In 2007, it was £320 a week. In 2008, it has been £337 a week. All 24 participants, with one exception (4 per cent.), completed their internships.
	DFID participates in an annual programme of school work experience for up to 17 14 to 16-year-olds in both London and East Kilbride. The placements are unpaid and last for five working days.

Overseas Aid

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what criteria his Department uses to ensure that multilateral donors have at least as good financial and physical safeguards in place as a bilateral aid project undertaken by his Department;
	(2)  what auditing function his Department carries out with multilateral donors.

Ivan Lewis: When the Department for International Development (DFID) funds multilateral partners for specific projects we subject them to regular mandatory project cycle management design and approval procedures to establish accounting and audit, in-year and end of project reporting standards and processes. To safeguard UK taxpayers' investment, these include detailed narrative and financial reports on project expenditure, progress achieved with resources used, and assurance that any problems identified are being addressed.
	For grants to international organisations, we insist on evidence about the use of funds from the organisation's own audited accounts, or special audited statements. Our requirements are set out in standard (MOU) texts and are built into the funding agreement. It is mandatory for projects with an approved commitment of £1 million and above and which are at least one year old to be reviewed and scored annually.
	For core funding, which is general support to the multilateral institution's overall budget, DFID uses institutional strategies (ISs) to set the framework for the funding relationship. ISs include a performance framework that contains measurable indicators and targets, with baselines and data sources that are clearly specified. IS objectives are scored annually. DFID uses the agency's own monitoring systems as far as possible supplemented by independent reviews as required on an annual basis. We insist on evidence about the use of funds from the organisation's own audited accounts, or special audited statements, as well as additional internal controls. For example, the World Bank provides us with an annual set of accounts that has been audited by an external, private sector audit firm, as well as an annual external audit of their financial risk controls. The World Bank also has a strong internal audit department and an independent evaluation arm that regularly tests the quality of the project portfolio and reports publicly. Similarly, the European Union's administrative structures include anti-fraud and internal audit units and the European Court of Auditors, as well as an Evaluation Department.
	It is rare for us to provide physical assets to an international organisation. Where we do, these typically remain the property of the UK Government. If the organisation wishes to dispose of the assets or use them for a different purpose to that originally intended, DFID must approve the decision.

Repatriation

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what  (a) financial,  (b) administrative and  (c) other resources his Department (i) has provided and (ii) plans to provide in each of the next five years to the Returns and Reintegration Fund from (A) its central budget and (B) its country offices.

Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) has made available up to £35 million over two financial years (2008-09 and 2009-10) to the Returns and Reintegration Fund (which is a pooled fund comprising DFID, FCO, UKBA and MOJ financial resources and expertise, administered by the FCO) of which we have provided £4 million so far this financial year.

Zimbabwe: Politics and Government

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe continues to deteriorate. Thousands have been hit by cholera and hundreds have died. Basic services have collapsed. The health services can only respond because of the help ourselves and others are giving. 5 million people need food aid, and more disease outbreaks are likely.
	Mugabe has led his country to this humanitarian catastrophe and now denies it exists. We are doing everything we can to save lives, but fundamental change is now required to give power back to the Zimbabwean people and bring this crisis to an end.

TRANSPORT

Airports: Noise

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what level of noise pollution is permitted from each major airport in the UK.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 15 December 2008
	In 2003, "The Future of Air Transport" White Paper set out a strategic framework for the development of airport capacity in the United Kingdom over the next 30 years. In it we said that our basic aim is to limit and where possible reduce the number of people in the UK significantly affected by aircraft noise.
	Prior to entry into service, the noise levels generated by any aircraft design are measured by the applicant/manufacturer and then approved by a certificating authority. With regard to the UK, the approving authority is the European Aviation Safety Organisation (EASA), except for light propeller aircraft and microlights where the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) retains responsibility. Certification noise limits are set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The most recent 'Chapter 4' noise limits for large aircraft were introduced on the 1 January 2006.
	The Department for Transport is responsible for specific noise mitigation measures at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports. These include noise preferential departure routes, noise departure limits for both day and night with, additionally, strict limits of movements and a quota system—to encourage use of quieter aircraft—at night.
	At other UK airports, noise restrictions may be imposed voluntarily by the airport operator or by local planning conditions/agreements and these will vary depending on local circumstances.
	In terms of measuring noise, aircraft noise contours for Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted using the Leq metric are produced annually for the Department by the CAA. Elsewhere in the UK, it is the responsibility of airports to produce aircraft noise contours as appropriate.
	Under the European Environmental Noise Directive 2002/49/EC, all major airports in the UK have been required to produce noise maps for 2006, based on the Lden metric. The directive also requires airports to publish action plans designed to manage noise issues and effects arising from aircraft departing from and arriving at their airport, including noise reduction if necessary. Implementation of the directive in England is a matter for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland it is the responsibility of the devolved Administrations.
	Given the difference in parameters, caution should be exercised in attempting any comparison between Leq aircraft noise contour maps and aircraft noise contour maps produced in accordance with the Environmental Noise Directive.

Bus Services: Lancashire

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria will be used to assess the bid for funding by Lancashire County Council and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council for the Pennine Reach scheme.

Paul Clark: Blackburn with Darwen borough council is currently clarifying the design of the scheme and has yet to submit a bid for funding. Any bid received will be assessed in accordance with the Department for Transport's guidance entitled 'Guidance for Local Authorities seeking Government funding for major transport schemes' which is available on the Department's website.

Departmental Data Protection

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants in his Department have been  (a) investigated,  (b) suspended and  (c) dismissed for (i) losing and (ii) deliberately disclosing (A) data stored on departmental equipment and (B) confidential information in each year since 1997.

Geoff Hoon: Prior to 2006, the central Department and its agencies recorded no cases of employees being  (a) investigated,  (b) suspended and  (c) dismissed for (i) losing and (ii) deliberately disclosing (A) data stored on departmental equipment and (B) confidential information.
	Since 2006 fewer than five cases have been recorded. Therefore our response needs to be suppressed on grounds of confidentiality.
	The Vehicle Certification Agency and the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Agency could provide the information requested only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Gifts

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many members of staff in his Department have received gifts valued at £100 or higher in the course of their duties in each of the last three years; what these gifts were; and from whom they were received.

Geoff Hoon: Three members of staff in the Department for Transport and its agencies each received one gift valued at £100 or higher over the last three financial years.
	The gifts are as follows:
	Fountain pen—Institute of Highway Incorporated Engineers
	Satnav—Institute of Highway Incorporated Engineers
	Crystal model—Dubai Road Transport Authority
	These gifts have been retained for departmental use.
	The Department's policy is that all gifts other than low value items i.e. diaries, must be refused. The only exception to the above is where refusal would cause offence to the donor or misunderstanding.
	The rules and guidance on receipt of gifts by civil servants are set out in the "Civil Service Management Code", and in departmental staff handbooks.

Departmental Higher Education

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff in his Department undertook courses funded by the Department for  (a) undergraduate degrees,  (b) postgraduate degrees or diplomas,  (c) Masters degrees,  (d) MBA degrees and  (e) PhD degrees in the last 12 months, broken down by pay band.

Geoff Hoon: The central Department has delegated budget responsibility to the line and therefore does not hold the information centrally. However, the Department's agencies funded the following courses during the last 12 months (November 2007-October 2008):
	
		
			  Department for Transport  PB1  PB2  PB3  PB4  PB5  PB6  PB7  SCS 1  SCS2  SCS3  Total 
			 Undergraduate Degree 1 0 5 16 4 4 0 0 0 0 30 
			 Postgraduate Degrees or Diploma 0 2 9 11 5 12 3 1 0 0 43 
			 Masters Degree 1 0 0 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 6 
			 MBA Degree 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 4 
			 PhD Degree 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2

Departmental Information Officers

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department and its agencies have spent on employing press officers in each year since the Department's inception.

Geoff Hoon: Press officer function pay costs have been estimated for the years 2002-03 to 2007-08 for the central Department and Executive agencies as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2002- 0 3  2003- 0 4  2004- 0 5  2005- 0 6  2006- 0 7  2007- 0 8 
			 DfT(C) 0.85 0.70 0.70 0.77 0.88 0.84 
			 DSA 0.04 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.06 
			 DVLA 0.14 0.15 0.18 0.19 0.19 0.14 
			 GCDA Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil 
			 HA 0.21 0.22 0.23 0.27 0.30 0.36 
			 MCA 0.08 0.09 0.11 0.15 0.15 0.15 
			 VCA Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil 
			 VOSA 0.02 0.02 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04

Departmental Official Hospitality

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what records his Department maintains of its expenditure on  (a) official hospitality and  (b) alcohol for official hospitality.

Geoff Hoon: Expenditure on  (a) official hospitality and  (b) alcohol for official hospitality is not recorded separately within the Department for Transport.
	As reflected in our Staff Handbook, hospitality is incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to bringing forward publicly-funded capital works commissioned by his Department; and what discussions he has had with Treasury Ministers on the financing of these projects.

Geoff Hoon: I announced on 25 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 83-84WS, a number of capital works schemes, costing £1 billion, which will be brought forward. This announcement had the agreement of Treasury Ministers.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Personal Records

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of UK residents whose personal details are held on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's  (a) vehicle register database,  (b) driver register database,  (c) local office casework system database and  (d) driver and vehicle intelligence database.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 11 December 2008
	We are not able to provide the number of UK residents currently registered on these databases. However the total number of currently licensed vehicles on the vehicle record and current driving licence holders on the driver database is:
	
		
			  Number 
			   2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Licensed Vehicles 32,258,857 32,897,383 33,368,840 33,956,832 
			 Driver Records 40,681,227 41,335,798 42,011,724 42,736,627

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Personal Records

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the proportion of personal detail entries relating to UK residents which contained inaccurate information on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's  (a) vehicle register database,  (b) driver register database,  (c) local office casework systems database and  (d) driver and vehicle intelligence database in each of the last four years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 11 December 2008
	Accuracy surveys are completed on the vehicle record (annually) and driver record (biennially) but not on the local office casework system record database or driver and vehicle intelligence database. The reported accuracy levels are:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Licensed Vehicles 92 97 98 97 
			 Driver Records n/a 82 n/a (1)n/a 
			 (1) The 2007 survey of driver records was cancelled. However, the 2003 result reported 82 per cent. accuracy 
		
	
	Full vehicles surveys were conducted in late 2003, 2005 and 2007. Figures for 2004 and 2006 are estimates based on internal measures.
	Surveys reporting on 2008 accuracy of both vehicles and drivers databases are currently being undertaken and are due to report early next year. Surveys are now programmed to be conducted every year.

Helicopters: Noise

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the debate of 15 January 2007,  Official Report, columns 626-34, on helicopter flights (London), what progress has been made on the complaints procedure for helicopter noise.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Civil Aviation Authority's Directorate of Airspace Policy (CAA DAP) has developed a strategy for answering helicopter noise complaints. This includes a well publicised contact point that receives noise complaints from across the UK. Further details are available on the CAA website www.caa.co.uk .

Helicopters: Noise

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the debate of 15 January 2007,  Official Report, columns 626-34, on helicopter flights (London), how many helicopter flights have been permitted to depart from the designated route in the London control zone in each year for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Neither the Department for Transport nor the Civil Aviation Authority maintain statistics on the number of helicopter flights that have been permitted to depart from the designated routes in the London control zone.

Helicopters: Noise

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the debate of 15 January 2007,  Official Report, columns 626-34, on helicopter flights (London), what progress his Department, the Civil Aviation Authority and the National Air Traffic Service have made in collecting more comprehensive data on helicopter noise in London.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Following discussions between the Department for Transport, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and NATS, a mechanism has been agreed with NATS to provide data on helicopter movements over London. This data is published at regular intervals on the CAA website at the following link
	www.caa.co.uk.

Lorries: Accidents

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents have involved heavy goods vehicles (HGVs)  (a) with mechanical defects,  (b) that are overweight and  (c) where drivers' hours have been exceeded in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (i) region where the accident took place, (ii) the HGV's country of origin and (iii) whether the HGV was left or right hand drive.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The numbers of reported personal injury road accidents which involved a heavy goods vehicle with at least one vehicle defect recorded as a contributory factor are given in the table, broken down by (i) region and (ii) left or right hand drive.
	Vehicle defect contributory factors include:
	Tyres illegal, defective or under inflated
	Defective lights or indicators
	Defective brakes
	Defective steering or suspension
	Defective or missing mirrors
	Overloaded or poorly loaded vehicle or trailer
	Information on drivers' working hours and the country of origin of heavy goods vehicles which are involved in road accidents are not collected. Information on contributory factors is not available before 2005.
	
		
			  Number of accidents( 1) 
			   2005  2006  2007 
			  Government office regions  Right hand drive  Left hand drive  Right hand drive  Left hand drive  Right hand drive  Left hand drive 
			 North East 7 0 5 0 8 0 
			 North West 25 0 34 0 25 1 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 21 0 25 0 27 0 
			 East Midlands 28 0 27 1 22 0 
			 West Midlands 23 0 23 0 24 1 
			 East of England 26 1 36 1 28 0 
			 South East 45 0 44 1 37 2 
			 London 15 0 12 0 4 0 
			 South West 18 0 4 0 13 0 
			 Wales 12 0 17 0 14 0 
			 Scotland 17 0 14 0 13 0 
			 Total 237 1 241 3 215 4 
			 (1) Includes only accidents where a police officer attended the scene and in which a contributory factor was reported.

Lorries: Registration

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of non-UK registered heavy goods vehicles which have operated in the UK in each of the last three years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is not regularly collected. However an estimate for 2002 of up to 73,000 foreign HGVs was made from a one-off survey of foreign vehicle activity.
	It was announced in the Budget for 2008 that the Government will be running a new foreign vehicle survey, scheduled to take place in spring 2009.
	Annual data on the total number of trips made by foreign registered heavy goods vehicles travelling to mainland Europe from the UK can be found in Table 2.1a of the publication Road Freight Statistics 2007 available in the House of Commons Library and on the DfT website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/162259/162469/221412/221522/222944/28584011/04_RFS_2007_Section_2.pdf.

Pedicabs

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent research he has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the safety of pedicabs as a means of public transport; what recent reports he has received on pedicab safety; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport has not specifically assessed pedicab safety, but has received a Transport Research Laboratory report on the subject commissioned by the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association.
	As road vehicles, pedicabs must comply with road traffic law including road vehicle lighting regulations, and with The Highway Code. Enforcement is a matter for the police.

Railways: Concessions

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what concessionary fare systems there are for disabled people to travel by train.

Paul Clark: All train companies offer a disabled persons railcard which gives one third off the price of a large range of rail tickets. The railcard currently costs £18 a year.
	The terms of this railcard are protected by the Department for Transport through its franchise agreements with the train operating companies.
	In addition passengers who are blind or visually-impaired and are travelling with a companion or passengers who stay in their own wheelchair for a rail journey are eligible for discounted travel without the need for a railcard.

Railways: Safety

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what future steps he plans to take in response to the Potters Bar derailment.

Paul Clark: I refer the hon. Member to the written statements that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport made to the House on 23 October 2008,  Official Report, column 19WS, regarding the "Publication of Rail Accident Investigation Branch Investigation" and 19 November 2008,  Official Report, column 24WS, regarding the "Potters Bar and Grayrigg Derailments".

Road Traffic: Halton

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of traffic on the Silver Jubilee Bridge in Halton was accounted for by heavy goods vehicles in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In 2007, heavy goods vehicles accounted for about 7 per cent. of traffic on the Silver Jubilee bridge (A533) in Halton.
	Traffic data for individual motorways and 'A' roads for 1997 to 2007 are available at:
	www.dft.gov.uk/matrix

Roads: Bexhill

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the timetable is for the Bexhill link road development.

Paul Clark: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 December 2008,  Official Report, column 379W.

Schools: Transport

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many children have been injured while travelling on school buses which were not fitted with seat belts in the last 24 months.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 15 December 2008
	The information requested is not available.

Tyres: EU Action

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on EU proposals to introduce legislation to reduce the rolling resistance of tyres.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 11 December 2008
	There are currently two proposals from the European Commission aimed at reducing the rolling resistance of tyres. The first of these sets mandatory upper limits on permissible rolling resistance of tyres for passenger cars, light goods vehicles and heavy commercial vehicles in two stages. The Government fully support the Commission's proposed limit values and implementation dates which will reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions and contribute towards the UK meeting its carbon dioxide reduction targets.
	The second proposal calls for tyre labelling, along the lines of the energy label on white goods, indicating the rolling resistance of the tyre within a set of defined bands from A (lowest rolling resistance) to G (highest rolling resistance).
	This proposal has only just been published and EU negotiations on it have not yet begun. The Government supports the principle of providing consumers with information on the relative efficiency of products, but has not yet reached a view on the detail of this second proposal.

Vehicle Number Plates: Flags

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the answer of 4 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 248-50W, on vehicle number plates, what the timescale is for fulfilling the intention to legalise the display of national flags of UK countries on number plates; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We intend to make an announcement shortly on the way forward.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Carer's Allowance

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will assess the effects of the policy of ceasing carer's allowance when a carer reaches pensionable age; and if he will make carer's allowance available to those of pensionable age;
	(2)  how many carers had their entitlement to carer's allowance removed as a result of reaching pensionable age in each of the last five years.

Jonathan R Shaw: Carer's allowance is available to all carers who meet the entitlement criteria, aged 16 or over. Entitlement is not withdrawn when a carer reaches pension age.
	However, carer's allowance is an income-replacement benefit and as such, is subject to the overlapping benefit rules. Where a carer is entitled to another income-replacement benefit, such as state pension, then they will be paid the benefit that gives them the highest amount. In the case of pensioners, this is normally state pension.
	Low-income carers who have an entitlement to carer's allowance can benefit from the additional amount for carers in pension credit even where state pension is paid instead of carer's allowance. About 240,000 people now receive this extra help.

Carer's Allowance

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what recent consideration he has given to increasing the value of the carer's allowance;
	(2)  if he will review the policy that prevents higher education students who are also carers keeping their carer's allowance entitlement when they study for more than 21 hours a week.

Jonathan R Shaw: The level of carer's allowance and its conditions of entitlement, including the 21-hour full-time education rule, were considered by the income task force, created as part of the review of the National Carers Strategy. The new strategy was published in June 2008, and included the report from the taskforce, which gave options for changes to carer's allowance. However, the main finding of the income task force was that the current system of carers' benefits needs to be fundamentally re-examined.
	In the White Paper "Raising expectations and increasing support: reforming welfare for the future", published 10 December 2008, we underlined our commitment to looking at carers' benefits in the context of our wider ambitions for welfare reform. We will aim to design a system that is able to provide support where it is most needed and that can adapt to the wide range of needs that carers have, enabling carers to maintain a balance between their caring responsibilities and a life outside caring.
	The level of carer's allowance is considered annually as part of the uprating process. The proposed rate for carer's allowance from April 2009 was announced on 11 December as £53.10.

Carer's Allowance

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what comparative assessment he has made of the level of carers' allowance in the UK compared to other EU member states who administer a similar allowance for benchmarking purposes.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Government have not undertaken a formal comparative assessment of level of carer's allowance in the UK compared to other EU member states.
	However, we have committed to looking at carers' benefits as we move forward with welfare reform. As part of this we will look to learn from best practice both in the UK and internationally.

Christmas

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent on  (a) departmental Christmas parties and  (b) staff entertainment in the last three years.

Jonathan R Shaw: No departmental funds are used for departmental Christmas parties or staff entertainment. This is in accordance with departmental guidance on financial procedures and on propriety and regularity based on principles set out in Managing Public Money and Her Majesty's Treasury Handbook Regularity, Propriety and Value for Money. All staff Christmas parties and staff entertainment events are funded solely at the individual's expense. An extract from the relevant guidance is provided as follows:
	 Staff Parties/Personal Events
	Departmental funds "must not under any circumstances" be used to purchase food or drink, hire a venue, or contribute in any other way to staff parties, irrespective of whether these relate to personal celebrations (e.g. birthdays or retirement) or are ostensibly to mark a particular business achievement (e.g. the opening of a new office or the award of a contract). Expenditure of this nature is regarded as a disciplinary offence and Departmental practice, where such activities come to light, is generally to seek reimbursement from the authorising officer.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 4 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 254-56W, on departmental temporary employment, how many staff were recruited through each company in each year; and for how long on average staff recruited through these companies worked for the Department in each year.

Jonathan R Shaw: The information requested is not all held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Employment Services: General Practitioners

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many GP surgeries in England have jobcentre employment advisers working in them.

Tony McNulty: There are currently around 20 GP surgeries in England and Wales which have a jobcentre adviser in them with a similar amount due to have an adviser once the expansion of the pilot is fully in place. In addition, there are 71 GP surgeries in Scotland that have a jobcentre employment adviser working in them for at least part of the week.

Employment Vacancies: Glasgow

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many job vacancies are available in  (a) Glasgow South West and  (b) Glasgow; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 10 December 2008
	The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Vacancies in Glasgow city council area and Glasgow south west parliamentary constituency: as at October 2008 
			   Notified vacancies  Live unfilled vacancies 
			 Glasgow south west parliamentary constituency 836 669 
			 Glasgow city local authority 6,742 5,503 
			  Notes: 1. Interpretation of this data needs to take account of changes in recent years to Jobcentre Plus procedures for taking and handling vacancies. These figures are not fully comparable over time and may not indicate developments in the labour market. A more detailed explanation is available on the Nomis website at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk 2. Notified vacancies include any speculative placings recorded by Jobcentre Plus. Datasets from May 2006 may reflect substantially reduced levels of speculative placings as part of the notified series. Consequently, care should be taken in interpreting time-series data. 3. The stocks of unfilled vacancies reflect more accurately the job opportunities actually available via Jobcentre Plus. In the case of unfilled vacancies, use of the figures on live vacancies is recommended (i.e. excluding suspended vacancies), and this is the default option. Live vacancies may still include some vacancies which have already been filled or are otherwise no longer open to recruits, due to natural lags in procedures for following up vacancies with employers. 4. Comprehensive estimates of all job vacancies (not just those notified to Jobcentre Plus) are available from the monthly ONS Vacancy Survey since April 2001, based on a sample of some 6,000 enterprises. However, the ONS survey is currently designed to provide national estimates only.  Source: Jobcentre Plus Labour Market System

Housing Benefit: Mentally Ill

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what criteria determine whether housing benefit is paid directly to landlords where tenants are  (a) mentally ill and  (b) vulnerable; and what conditions are attached to such payments.

Kitty Ussher: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the right hon. Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith) on 28 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 861-62W.

Housing Benefit: Mentally Ill

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals in receipt of housing benefit have had their housing benefit paid directly to their landlords on the grounds of  (a) vulnerability and  (b) mental illness.

Kitty Ussher: This information is not available.

Income Support: Ex-servicemen

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether  (a) income and  (b) lump sums paid under (i) a war pension and (ii) the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme are disregarded for the purpose of calculating income support eligibility; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 11 December 2008
	Income-related benefits, such as income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance, are intended to cover an individual's day-to-day living expenses.
	War widows pension, war disablement pension and their replacement, the armed forces compensation scheme, are paid to compensate for death or injury through service in the armed forces. A part of these weekly payments is disregarded when calculating entitlement to income-related benefits.
	Certain elements intended to cover mobility or attendance needs, such as constant attendance allowance, are fully disregarded when paid as part of a war disablement pension.
	Lump sum personal injury payments made under these schemes are disregarded in full for 52 weeks from the date they are received. Following this they continue to be fully disregarded if placed into a personal injury trust fund or used to purchase an annuity to help secure the injured person's long-term future. Income generated from the trust fund/annuity is also fully disregarded.
	Occupational pensions paid under the armed forces pension scheme, which are not paid to compensate for death or injury, are taken fully into account when calculating entitlement to income support and the other income-related benefits.

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what conclusions he has drawn from responses to the recent consultation on the industrial injuries disablement benefit scheme on an extension of the period within which claims must be made after injury occurs in regard to work-related illness with long gestation periods;
	(2)  what conclusions he has drawn from the responses to the recent consultation on the industrial injuries disablement benefit scheme in relation to those suffering from mesothelioma as a result of exposure to asbestos at work.

Kitty Ussher: The consultation period ended on 22 October 2008. The consultation asked specifically how we might reform Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit to provide better support to help people adjust to their new circumstances while maintaining the work focus of the modern welfare state, whether lump sum payments are a good way of meeting people's needs, whether they give people more choice and control and whether we could make more use of them.
	In the White Paper published on 10 December we have made it clear that while some respondents to the Green Paper consultation supported the principle of lump sum payments for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefits customers, others commented that there was a need for ongoing support for some people injured or made ill by work, particularly for those with serious progressive illnesses. We believe that there remains a strong case for continuing to provide particular support for people whose disability arises from work and we think the current Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefits scheme is the best way to do this.
	We have no plans for further consultation on the new scheme relating to lump sum payments for those suffering from mesothelioma resulting from exposure to asbestos at work.

Jobcentre Plus: Manpower

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseeker's allowance claimants there were per customer-facing Jobcentre Plus staff member in each region in each quarter of each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 26 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1986W.

Jobcentres

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 26 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 1993-94W, on jobcentres, how many vacancies have been advertised in jobcentres in each of the last six months.

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how may vacancies in the Jobcentre Plus network have been advertised in each of the last 12 months.

Tony McNulty: The available information is in the table.
	
		
			  Jobcentre Plus vacancies: Great Britain 
			   Notified vacancies  Live unfilled vacancies 
			 November 2007 381,463 469,282 
			 December 2007 393,606 394,904 
			 January 2008 194,349 299,192 
			 February 2008 459,053 387,359 
			 March 2008 362,386 397,505 
			 April 2008 346,063 385,082 
			 May 2008 341,317 377,648 
			 June 2008 415,627 386,810 
			 July 2008 316,569 353,493 
			 August 2008 405,470 348,451 
			 September 2008 353,036 373,922 
			 October 2008 366,690 383,331 
			  Notes: 1. Interpretation of this data needs to take account of changes in recent years to Jobcentre Plus procedures for taking and handling vacancies. These figures are not fully comparable over time and may not indicate developments in the labour market. A more detailed explanation is available on the Nomis website at https://www.nomisweb.co.uk 2. Notified vacancies includes any speculative placings recorded by Jobcentre Plus. Datasets from May 2006 may reflect substantially reduced levels of speculative placings as part of the notified series. Consequently, care should be taken in interpreting time-series data. 3. The stocks of unfilled vacancies reflect more accurately the job opportunities actually available via Jobcentre Plus. In the case of unfilled vacancies, use of the figures on live vacancies is recommended (i.e. excluding suspended vacancies), and this is the default option. Live vacancies may still include some vacancies which have already been filled or are otherwise no longer open to recruits, due to natural lags in procedures for following up vacancies with employers. 4. Comprehensive estimates of all job vacancies (not just those notified to Jobcentre Plus) are available from the monthly ONS Vacancy Survey since April 2001, based on a sample of some 6,000 enterprises. However, the ONS survey is currently designed to provide national estimates only.  Source: Jobcentre Plus Labour Market System.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many new jobseeker's allowance applications have been received from people in each age group  (a) in total and  (b) in each of the smallest geographical areas for which figures are available in each month of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The information has been placed in the Library.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the Answers of 26 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 1996-7W, on jobseeker's allowance, whether his Department has compiled data on the amount of time jobseeker's allowance claimants have received the allowance or other out of work benefits over a set period of time including circumstances where a claimant has made more than one claim for an allowance in that period.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 11 December 2008
	The Department does not publish statistics on the amount of time jobseeker's allowance customers have received the award or other out of work benefits over a set period of time, nor do we publish statistics on circumstances where customers have made more than one claim. This information could be obtained only after complex analysis of the available data and comprehensive quality assurance. As a result it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Employment

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of jobseeker's allowance (JSA) claimants moved off JSA and into employment in each month of the last five years, broken down by the smallest geographical area for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The information has been placed in the Library.

New Deal for Musicians: Finance

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of the New Deal for Musicians programme was in each  (a) region and  (b) Jobcentre Plus district in each year since its inception; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Due to the re-organisation of Jobcentre Plus over the past five years it is not possible to provide comparable data at district level. The available information is in the table.
	
		
			  Expenditure on new deal for musicians broken down by nation and Government office region 
			  £ million 
			   1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 East Midlands 0.131 0.201 0.190 0.159 0.216 0.170 0.095 0.105 0.065 
			 East of England 0.090 0.247 0.131 0.125 0.188 0.192 0.038 0.042 0.049 
			 London 0.279 0.534 0.329 0.235 0.254 0.356 0.532 0.182 0.179 
			 North East 0.159 0.507 0.448 0.385 0.274 0.155 0.028 0.067 0.053 
			 North West 0.432 1.003 0.931 0.684 0.775 0.827 0.382 0.260 0.198 
			 Scotland 0.238 0.435 0.394 0.541 0.091 0.569 0.423 0.280 0.111 
			 Wales 0.380 1.517 1.478 1.180 0.512 0.365 0.171 0.078 0.099 
			 South East 0.014 0.071 0.054 0.072 0.323 0.315 0.278 0.071 0.072 
			 South West 0.143 0.482 0.757 0.631 0.491 0.536 0.235 0.132 0.085 
			 West Midlands 0.112 0.494 0.611 0.414 0.426 0.345 0.040 0.176 0.154 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 0.326 0.458 0.534 0.303 0.297 0.223 0.164 0.122 0.153 
			 Non regional/national level 0.028 0.028 0.028 0.028 0.028 0.028 0.028 0.028 0.113 
			 Total 2.304 5.947 5.856 4.728 3.849 4.053 2.385 1.516 1.332 
			  Notes: 1. New deal for musicians started in 1999. 2. Expenditure figures exclude admin costs as they cannot be identified since 2002-03 when ringfences were removed with agreement from HM Treasury.  3. All the aforementioned figures are confirmed spend and are quoted in cash terms. 4. The source of the above data is from the DWP financial systems.

New Deal Lone Parents: Finance

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of the New Deal Lone Parents programme was in each  (a) region and  (b) Jobcentre Plus district in each year since its inception; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Due to the re-organisation of Jobcentre Plus over the past five years it is not possible to provide comparable data at district level. The available information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Expenditure on new deal for lone parents broken down by nation and Government office region 
			  £ million 
			   1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 East Midlands 0.062 0.181 1.052 0.476 0.937 1.212 1.445 1.224 1.394 0.965 
			 East of England 0.000 0.196 0.822 0.551 0.781 0.870 0.983 0.572 3.557 1.041 
			 London 0.438 1.557 1.363 0.895 2.085 3.050 5.025 8.042 9.934 5.211 
			 North East 0.039 0.191 0.577 0.397 1.140 1.242 1.161 0.109 0.336 1.227 
			 North West 0.081 0.580 1.754 1.270 3.029 3.239 3.350 2.661 2.290 3.033 
			 Scotland 0.134 0.657 1.634 1.326 2.421 3.145 3.592 2.432 1.745 0.976 
			 Wales 0.074 0.313 0.632 0.576 1.396 1.612 1.413 1.167 1.482 0.754 
			 South East 0.000 0.022 1.099 0.736 1.381 1.338 1.161 1.398 7.864 1.867 
			 South West 0.056 0.140 0.703 0.564 1.438 1.216 1.361 0.276 0.489 0.905 
			 West Midlands 0.063 0.935 0.900 0.598 1.707 1.439 1.756 2.718 2.451 2.022 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 0.062 0.337 1.118 0.683 1.525 2.080 3.195 3.311 3.101 2.979 
			 Non regional/ national level 0.101 6.722 1.967 0.803 -0.265 0.006 0.031 2.122 6.874 39.374 
			
			 Total 1.112 11.832 13.620 8.875 17.576 20.449 24.474 26.032 41.517 60.353 
			  Notes: 1. New deal for lone parents started in 1998. 2. Expenditure figures exclude admin costs as they cannot be identified since 2002-03 when ringfences were removed with agreement from HM Treasury. 3. All the figures are confirmed spend and are quoted in cash terms. 4. The spend shown against non-regional/national above represents spend on projects for lone parents managed centrally. 5. Where negative figures are shown against non regional/national level spend, this reflects minor accounting adjustments made as a result of audit, which are credited at national rather than regional level. 6. The source of the above data is from the DWP financial systems. The new deal for lone parents totals agree to the departmental report.

New Deal Schemes

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what interfaces of  (a) data and  (b) process will exist between Provider Referral and Payment and Flexible New Deal providers;
	(2)  what contribution Flexible New Deal providers are expected to make to the data record for each Flexible New Deal claimant held by his Department;
	(3)  what performance metrics Provider Referral and Payment will track for each Flexible New Deal  (a) contract and  (b) provider;
	(4)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the work programme to design, develop, implement and operate provider referral and payment, including a description of IT or consultancy suppliers involved at any stage.

Tony McNulty: The provider referrals and payments (PRaP) system will, using the secure Government Gateway, supply flexible new deal providers with the minimum personal data about the customer to enable them to fulfil their contractual obligations and trigger payment. As we are still developing the system, the data that will be transferred remain to be finalised.
	Providers will input details of the customer's progress through flexible new deal and PRaP will update each customer's data record.
	PRaP data will inform the performance metrics used to track flexible new deal contracts and providers. Other sources of information such as the Labour Market System will also be used. Once it is known which providers have been successful in their bids to operate flexible new deal, we will work with them to ensure that they are ready to operate PRaP to deliver the required services from October 2009 and provide management information as specified.
	As the project progresses through key stages in the design, development and implementation of PRaP, the work plan is revised and updated. The final plan, taking the project through to implementation, will be agreed in late April. A copy of this will be placed in the Library at that time. PRaP is being developed by the Department's IT suppliers EDS with their Oracle consultancy practice.

Poverty: Children

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of children in each age group in  (a) Southend-on-Sea,  (b) Essex,  (c) the Metropolitan Police area of London and  (d) England and Wales were living in absolute poverty in each year since 1997.

Kitty Ussher: Available information is shown in the following tables.
	Our child poverty statistics, published in the Households Below Average Income series, only allow a breakdown of the number of children in absolute poverty at Government office region level or for inner or outer London. Information is therefore not available at county or unitary authority level.
	Data are also not available for the Metropolitan Police area of London, although data are available for the London Government office region. Regional data are presented as three-year averages, due to variability in single-year estimates.
	Data are available, for England and Wales on a single-year basis. Only results for England and Wales can be broken down by age group.
	
		
			  Table 1: Numbers and proportion of children in London in households with incomes less than 60 per cent. of 1998-99 median household income held constant in real terms, three-year averages 
			   Number (million)  Proportion (percentage) 
			 1997-98 to 1999-2000 0.4 27 
			 1998-99 to 2000-01 0.4 24 
			 1999-2000 to 2001-02 0.3 21 
			 2000-01 to 2002-03 0.3 18 
			 2001-02 to 2003-04 0.3 16 
			 2002-03 to 2004-05 0.3 16 
			 2003-04 to 2005-06 0.3 17 
			 2004-05 to 2006-07 0.3 16 
			  Source: Households Below Average Income 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Numbers of children in households w ith incomes less than 60 per cent. of 1998- 99 median household income held constant in real terms by age range, England and Wales 
			   Age range 
			   All  0-4  5-10  11-15  16+ 
			 1997-98 3.2 0.9 1.2 0.8 0.3 
			 1998-99 3.0 0.9 1.1 0.8 0.2 
			 1999-2000 2.7 0.8 0.9 0.7 0.2 
			 2000-01 2.2 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.2 
			 2001-02 1.7 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.2 
			 2002-03 1.6 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.2 
			 2003-04 1.6 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.2 
			 2004-05 1.5 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.2 
			 2005-06 1.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.2 
			 2006-07 1.5 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.2 
			  Source: Households Below Average Income 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Proportion of children in households with incomes less than 60 per cent. of 1998-99 median household income held constant in real terms by age range, England and Wales 
			   Age range 
			   All  0-4  5-10  11-15  16+ 
			 1997-98 27 28 29 27 22 
			 1998-99 26 27 27 24 21 
			 1999-2000 23 25 23 23 19 
			 2000-01 19 20 17 19 17 
			 2001-02 15 16 14 16 15 
			 2002-03 14 14 13 14 16 
			 2003-04 14 14 12 15 13 
			 2004-05 13 13 12 14 14 
			 2005-06 13 12 12 14 13 
			 2006-07 13 14 13 13 14 
			  Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income data. 2. Small changes should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 3. The reference period for Household Below Average Income figures is single financial years. Three sample years have been combined for statistics covering London as regional single year estimates are subject to volatility. 4. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication 'Households Below Average Income' series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or "equivalised") for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 5. Incomes have been equivalised using OECD equivalisation factors. 6. A dependent child is defined as an individual aged under 16. A person will also be defined as a child if they are aged 16 to 19 (or 16 to 18 in years prior to 2006-07); not married nor in a civil partnership nor living with a partner; living with parents; and in full-time non-advanced education or in unwaged Government training. 7. Numbers of children have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand children and proportions have been rounded to the nearest per cent. 8. The Metropolitan Police are responsible for policing within the whole of Greater London with the exception of the City of London. They also police the area covered by Heathrow airport.  Source: Households Below Average Income

Poverty: Children

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Government  (a) have taken since January 2008 and  (b) plan to take in each of the next 12 months towards its target to end child poverty by 2020; what recent representations he has received about the issue; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: Some 600,000 children have been lifted out of relative poverty since 1998-99. Government measures announced since Budget 2007 will lift around a further 500,000 children from relative poverty.
	Families with children in the poorest fifth of the population are already on average £4,100 a year better off than in 1997 because of the support we have introduced. The measures we have just announced in the pre-Budget report 2008 will increase this to £4,400 by 2009-10.
	We announced in the pre-Budget report that we are bringing forward our commitment to increase the child element of the child tax credit by £25 above indexation from April 2010 to this coming April. We had already planned a £50 increase so from April 2009 the child element will therefore rise by £75 above indexation to £2,235.
	And we are bringing forward our planned increases in child benefit, from £18.80 per week to £20 for the first child and from £12.55 to £13.20 for subsequent children, to this January.
	While we have made substantial progress we are not complacent. Despite the scale of the challenge the Government's commitment to tackling child poverty is stronger than ever.
	Budget 2008 also announced investment of over £125 million over the next three years in child poverty pilots to draw on new ideas to tackle child poverty over the long term.
	We are investing in public services, such as education, healthcare and housing which play a key role in overcoming some of the immediate effects of growing up in poverty and provided poor children with opportunities to enhance their life chances and break cycles of deprivation. Hundreds of thousands of families have been helped by new tax credits, better public services and a renewed welfare state.
	And as announced in the Queen's speech we will introduce legislation that will reinforce the Government's 2020 commitment to eradicate child poverty.

Poverty: Children

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what research his Department  (a) has commissioned,  (b) plans to commission and  (c) has evaluated on the reasons the Government did not reduce child poverty by a quarter between 1998-99 and 2004-05; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what research his Department  (a) has commissioned,  (b) plans to commission and  (c) has evaluated on the reasons for the rise in levels of child poverty after 2004-05; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: The Department for Work and Pensions has a substantial programme of research. Many of the Department's research projects have direct links to our understanding of child poverty and the development of our child poverty strategy (for example, evaluating the support provided for lone parents moving into work). While not their main focus, many other projects have implications for child poverty (for example, the evaluation of Pathways to Work). All our research is published and available on the Department's website. The 2009-10 research programme is currently being established.
	Substantial progress has been made in tackling child poverty. Some 600,000 children have been lifted out of relative poverty since 1998-99, reversing the upward trend that saw child poverty double in the 20 years from the late 1970s to the mid 1990s.
	The target to reduce child poverty by a quarter between 1998-99 and 2004-05 was established by Public Service Agreements in 2000 and 2002. The target was narrowly missed. Against the indicators used to assess the target, the percentage reduction in this period was 23 per cent. on the before housing costs measure of poverty and 17 per cent. on the after housing costs measure.
	The increases since 2004-05, while regrettable, are small and statistically insignificant. The latest figures take us up to March 2007. Since that time, the Government have announced significant measures that will support considerable further progress.
	We are investing in public services, such as education, health care and housing which play a key role in overcoming some of the immediate effects of growing up in poverty and provided poor children with opportunities to enhance their life chances and break cycles of deprivation. Hundreds of thousands of families have been helped by new tax credits, better public services and a renewed welfare state.
	Measures announced since Budget 2007 will lift around a further 500,000 children out of poverty.
	Budget 2008 announced investment of over £125 million over the next three years in child poverty pilots to draw on new ideas to tackle child poverty over the long term.
	And as announced in the Queen's speech we will introduce legislation that will reinforce the Government's 2020 commitment to eradicate child poverty.

Unemployed: Qualifications

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the  (a) employment and  (b) unemployment rate of (i) men, (ii) women and (iii) men and women with the equivalent of five GCSEs or fewer aged (A) 16 to 24, (B) 25 to 34, (C) 34 to 49 and (D) 50 years to state retirement age in each quarter for the last 10 years.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated December 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what her estimate is of the (a) employment and (b) unemployment rate of (i) men (ii) women and (iii) men and women with the equivalent of five GCSEs or fewer aged (A) 16 to 24, (B) 25 to 34, (C) 35 to 49 and (D) 50 to state retirement age was in each quarter of the last 10 years (241704)
	The available information requested is provided in the attached tables. Comparable estimates are not available for the periods prior to April 2001. In addition, estimates for Q1 2005 are not available.
	The estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	The figures have been derived from the LFS microdata which are weighted using the official population estimates published in autumn 2007. Consequently the estimates from Q3 onwards are not entirely consistent with the figures published in the monthly Labour Market Statistics First Release which are weighted using more up-to-date population estimates.
	
		
			  Table 1 A: Employment and unemployment rates( 1 ) for people with the equivalent of five GCSEs or fewer, by age, calendar quarters, 2001 - 08, United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Percentage 
			People with the equivalent of five GCSEs or fewer 
			16 to 24  25 to 34  35 to 49  50 to 59 - 64( 2) 
			Employment rate  Unemployment rate  Employment rate  Unemployment rate  Employment rate  Unemployment rate  Employment rate  Unemployment rate 
			 2001 Q2 49 19 68 8 72 6 60 4 
			  Q3 53 21 66 9 72 5 59 4 
			  Q4 53 21 66 9 72 5 60 4 
			   
			 2002 Q1 49 22 65 9 72 6 60 4 
			  Q2 49 20 65 8 72 6 60 4 
			  Q3 50 23 65 8 72 6 61 4 
			  Q4 52 20 66 8 72 5 61 5 
			   
			 2003 Q1 48 22 65 9 71 5 61 4 
			  Q2 48 20 65 8 72 5 62 4 
			  Q3 51 21 66 8 71 5 62 4 
			  Q4 52 19 65 8 72 5 61 4 
			   
			 2004 Q1 49 21 65 8 72 4 62 4 
			  Q2 48 20 65 8 72 5 61 4 
			  Q3 50 23 65 8 71 4 61 4 
			  Q4 51 21 66 8 72 4 62 3 
			   
			 2005 Q1 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  Q2 47 21 66 7 71 5 61 3 
			  Q3 48 23 65 8 71 5 62 4 
			  Q4 48 23 65 8 71 5 62 4 
			   
			 2006 Q1 46 22 65 9 71 6 61 4 
			  Q2 45 23 65 10 71 6 62 4 
			  Q3 48 25 65 9 72 6 62 4 
			  Q4 48 23 65 10 71 6 61 4 
			   
			 2007 Q1 45 25 66 10 71 6 61 4 
			  Q2 44 24 66 9 71 6 62 4 
			  Q3 47 26 66 8 72 5 62 4 
			  Q4 49 22 65 8 71 6 63 4 
			   
			 2008 Q1 46 23 66 9 71 6 62 4 
			  Q2 45 23 66 9 71 6 62 4 
			  Q3 46 27 65 9 71 6 62 4 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 1B : Employment and unemployment rates( 1 ) for  men  with the equivalent of five GCSEs or fewer, by age, calendar quarters, 2001 - 08, United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Percentage 
			Men with the equivalent of five GCSEs or fewer 
			16 to 24  25 to 34  35 to 49  50 to 59 - 64( 2) 
			Employment rate  Unemployment rate  Employment rate  Unemployment rate  Employment rate  Unemployment rate  Employment rate  Unemployment rate 
			 2001 Q2 55 20 81 9 79 7 61 5 
			  Q3 60 21 80 10 80 6 62 5 
			  Q4 59 22 79 9 80 5 62 5 
			   
			 2002 Q1 54 24 78 10 80 7 62 5 
			  Q2 54 21 78 8 80 7 62 6 
			  Q3 54 24 78 8 80 7 62 5 
			  Q4 58 21 79 7 80 6 63 6 
			   
			 2003 Q1 53 24 77 9 80 6 63 5 
			  Q2 55 20 79 8 81 6 65 5 
			  Q3 57 22 79 8 81 5 65 4 
			  Q4 57 21 78 9 81 5 54 4 
			   
			 2004 Q1 53 22 78 8 81 5 64 4 
			  Q2 52 21 77 9 80 5 63 5 
			  Q3 56 23 66 8 80 5 64 4 
			  Q4 58 20 78 8 80 5 65 4 
			   
			 2005 Q1 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  Q2 52 22 79 7 79 5 64 4 
			  Q3 53 25 79 7 80 5 65 4 
			  Q4 53 24 79 8 80 6 65 4 
			   
			 2006 Q1 50 24 78 9 80 6 64 5 
			  Q2 49 24 79 10 80 6 65 5 
			  Q3 53 26 79 9 81 6 65 5 
			  Q4 54 23 80 9 81 6 64 4 
			   
			 2007 Q1 50 26 80 9 80 6 64 5 
			  Q2 49 24 82 8 81 6 65 5 
			  Q3 52 26 82 8 81 5 65 5 
			  Q4 55 23 81 7 80 6 65 5 
			   
			 2008 Q1 51 25 81 9 80 6 65 4 
			  Q2 50 24 80 9 80 6 65 5 
			  Q3 52 28 79 9 80 6 65 5 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 1C : Employment and unemployment rates( 1 ) for  women  with the equivalent of five GCSEs or fewer, by age, calendar quarters, 2001 - 08, United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Percentage 
			Women with the equivalent of five GCSEs or fewer 
			16 to 24  25 to 34  35 to 49  50 to 59 - 64( 2) 
			Employment rate  Unemployment rate  Employment rate  Unemployment rate  Employment rate  Unemployment rate  Employment rate  Unemployment rate 
			 2001 Q2 43 18 56 8 66 5 59 3 
			  Q3 45 21 54 8 66 4 57 3 
			  Q4 46 19 53 8 66 5 58 3 
			   
			 2002 Q1 43 19 53 8 65 5 58 3 
			  Q2 43 17 54 8 66 5 58 3 
			  Q3 45 20 53 8 66 5 59 3 
			  Q4 44 19 54 8 66 5 59 3 
			   
			 2003 Q1 43 19 55 7 65 4 59 3 
			  Q2 40 20 53 7 65 4 60 3 
			  Q3 45 20 54 8 64 4 60 3 
			  Q4 46 16 54 7 65 4 59 3 
			   
			 2004 Q1 44 20 53 8 65 4 59 3 
			  Q2 43 19 53 7 65 5 59 2 
			  Q3 44 23 54 8 64 4 58 3 
			  Q4 44 21 54 8 64 4 59 3 
			   
			 2005 Q1 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  Q2 41 19 52 8 64 5 59 3 
			  Q3 43 21 51 8 64 4 59 3 
			  Q4 41 22 51 9 64 5 59 3 
			   
			 2006 Q1 41 19 51 10 64 6 59 4 
			  Q2 39 21 51 10 63 6 59 4 
			  Q3 41 23 50 11 63 5 59 4 
			  Q4 40 22 51 10 63 6 59 4 
			   
			 2007 Q1 38 24 50 11 62 6 59 3 
			  Q2 37 24 50 11 63 6 60 3 
			  Q3 41 26 49 9 64 5 59 4 
			  Q4 43 21 48 9 63 5 60 3 
			   
			 2008 Q1 40 21 49 10 63 6 59 4 
			  Q2 39 22 50 10 63 5 59 4 
			  Q3 36 27 50 11 63 6 59 4 
			 n/a = data not available (1) Employment rate is calculated as number of people in employment with 5 GCSEs or fewer as a percentage of the population in the individual age group with 5 GCSEs or fewer. The unemployment rate is calculated as the number of people unemployed with 5 GCSEs or fewer as a percentage of the economically active population in the individual age group with 5 GCSEs or fewer. (2) men aged 50-64 and women aged 50-59  Note: It should be noted that the above estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites etc.

Unemployment: Construction

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people currently unemployed who were previously employed in the construction industry.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated  December 2008:
	As National Statistician. I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has made of the number of people currently unemployed who were previously employed in the construction industry (242467]
	According to the latest Labour force Survey (LPS) estimates for the three months to September 2008. 139,000 people were unemployed who stated that within the past 8 years their last paid employment was in the construction industry. As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	The figures are derived from the LFS microdata which arc weighted using the official population estimates published in autumn 2007. They are not entirely consistent with the figures published in the monthly Labour Market Statistics First Release, which are weighted using more up-to-date population estimates.

Winter Fuel Payments

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claim forms were received for winter fuel payments in 2007-08.

Rosie Winterton: The vast majority of winter fuel payments are made automatically but people who are newly eligible and not in receipt of a social security benefit or those who only receive housing benefit, council tax benefit or child benefit need to claim.
	In 2007-08 we received 458,334 claim forms in respect of winter fuel payments.

Winter Fuel Payments

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claims for winter fuel payments were made by households in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: Information on winter fuel payment claims made by households in Essex and Castle Point is not available. Information about the number of payments made to households in those areas is in the table. 2006-07 is the latest year for which information is available.
	
		
			  Winter fuel payments to households 
			   Essex  Castle Point 
			 2002-03 195,215 13,405 
			 2003-04 198,080 13,765 
			 2004-05 204,420 14,395 
			 2005-06 207,900 14,690 
			 2006-07 212,550 15,120 
			  Notes: 1. Figures from 2002-03 to 2004-05 are rounded to the nearest five 2. Figures from 2005-06 are rounded to the nearest 10. 3. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.  Source: Information directorate 100 per cent. data.

Winter Fuel Payments: Cancer

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will extend eligibility for winter fuel payments to cancer patients aged under 60 years.

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will extend eligibility for the winter fuel allowance to all cancer patients.

Rosie Winterton: Winter fuel payments are made to people aged 60 and over because they are particularly vulnerable to the effects of cold weather during the winter months. The structure of the scheme, which provides for an annual lump sum payment, is not appropriate for the needs of cancer patients whose extra heating needs can arise at any time of year, not just in the winter months.
	Help is already available through the disability benefits and the disability premiums in the income-related benefits in recognition of the extra costs, including heating, which people with cancer may have. These are spread over a 52-week period and can have a substantial annual value, up to around £8,000.
	The Government believe that the existing help currently provided is the best way to help meet individuals' needs and there are no plans to extend winter fuel payments to other vulnerable groups.

Winter Fuel Payments: Finance

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost to the public purse was of winter fuel payments in the last financial year.

Rosie Winterton: The cost of winter fuel payments in winter 2007-08 was over £2 billion.

Winter Fuel Payments: Telephone Services

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many calls were made to the winter fuel payment helpline in each of the last 10 financial years.

Rosie Winterton: Statistics on the number of calls made to the winter fuel payment helpline are only available from the year 2000, the year the winter fuel payment helpline was set up.
	
		
			  Period: May to April  Calls  Notes 
			 2000-01 1,171,446 Calls answered (figures for calls received are not available). 
			 2001-02 784,149 Calls received 
			 2002-03 758,441 Calls received 
			 2003-04 543,717 Calls received 
			 2004-05 532,190 Calls received 
			 2005-06 623,867 Calls received 
			 2006-07 486,691 Calls received 
			 2007-08 551,705 Calls received 
			 2008-09 n/a This exercise is still ongoing and full information is not available.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Overseas Students: Scholarships

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many publicly-funded scholarships are expected to be available for doctoral students from Commonwealth countries to study at UK universities in each year between 2008-09 and 2012-13.

David Lammy: The Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office fund doctoral awards through the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP). These include split site awards, where the student comes to the UK for doctoral study for one year. 320 scholars are currently receiving awards through the CSFP. For 2008-09 there are 135 new awards. This includes 16 new awards for developed Commonwealth countries, 94 for developing Commonwealth countries and 25 awards for split site doctoral study for scholars from developing countries. In 2009-10 there will be 146-148 new awards and in 2010-11 there will be 121-123.
	In 2008-09 it is anticipated that there will be 15 new Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Awards for doctoral students from Commonwealth countries. Funding for these awards also comes from private sponsors. On the basis of Research Council planning figures for 2009 scholar starts there may be up to 15 commonwealth new scholars supported per annum in future years, depending on securing sufficient private sponsors for the scheme.
	The Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme (ORSAS) is an independent HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England) scheme. A block grant is given to universities and information on which countries the students come from is not available. HEFCE decided earlier this year that continued investment after 2010-11 could not be justified given other competing priorities for funding. PQ 233995 also refers.
	We do not know how many scholarships will be available in 2012-13 as this is in the next spending review period.

TREASURY

Absenteeism

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the economy of absenteeism among workers as a result of headaches.

Tony McNulty: I have been asked to reply.
	No data exists which would allow us to reliably estimate the cost to the economy of absenteeism among workers as a result of headaches.

Banks: Iceland

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many inquiries  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have received regarding wholesale deposits in (i) Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander, (ii) Heritable and (iii) the UK branch of Landsbanki since 1 September 2008.

Ian Pearson: To identify the number of inquiries which we have received would incur disproportionate costs.

Banks: Iceland

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many inquiries the Financial Services Authority has received regarding wholesale deposits in  (a) Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander,  (b) Heritable and  (c) the UK branch of Landsbanki since 1 September 2008;
	(2)  what advice the Financial Services Authority has offered to UK companies which had wholesale deposits with  (a) Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander,  (b) Heritable and  (c) the UK branch of Landsbanki.

Ian Pearson: These are matters for the Financial Services Authority.

Banks: Regulation

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance the Financial Services Authority has given to those banks in receipt of public money to assist their liquidity on building up their balance sheets.

Ian Pearson: The matters raised in this question are the responsibility of the Financial Services Authority, whose day to day operations are independent from Government control and influence.

Business: Bank Services

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what support  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs offer to UK companies which had wholesale deposits with (i) Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander, (ii) Heritable and (iii) the UK branch of Landsbanki;
	(2)  what advice  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs has issued to UK companies which had wholesale deposits with (i) Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander, (ii) Heritable and (iii) the UK branch of Landsbanki.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Chancellor on 8 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 279 and 280, and on 13 October 2008,  Official Report, column 548.
	Additionally, as part of a substantial package of support the Chancellor announced in PBR 2008 that HMRC had introduced a new Business Payment Support Service. Businesses in genuine but temporary financial difficulty will be offered a fast and streamlined service for arranging to pay their HMRC tax bill to a timetable they can afford. HMRC will offer further practical help by not imposing additional surcharges on the tax within a time to pay arrangement.

Departmental Public Consultation

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on which occasions his Department has convened a citizens' jury or randomly-drawn panel of people to aid the Department's policy-making since 2000; whether the participants were paid in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 22 July 2008,  Official Report, column 1392W, to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban).

Equitable Life

Jo Swinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date the Government plan to publish their response to the Parliamentary Ombudsman's report on Equitable Life.

Ian Pearson: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 11 December 2008,  Official Report, column 261W.

EU Budget

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the UK's estimated  (a) net contribution,  (b) gross contribution and  (c) gross contribution after abatement to the EU will be in (i) 2008, (ii) 2009 and (iii) 2010, calculated on the basis current exchange rates.

Ian Pearson: The Government's latest forecast of UK net contributions to the EC Budget for the period 2007-08 to 2010-11 were included in Table B16 (page 210) of the pre-Budget report (Cm 7484) published on 24 November 2008.

Excise Duties: Biofuels

Dari Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the written ministerial statement of 13 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 66-7WS, on the Draft Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations (Amendment) Order 2009, if he will reassess the merits of his plans to remove the fuel duty rebate for biofuels in 2010-11 following the discovery of the drafting error in the 2007 Order.

Angela Eagle: The Department for Transport is currently consulting on the Draft Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations (Amendment) Order 2009, which closes on 17 December 2008. The amendment being consulted upon does not affect the long term future of biofuels in the UK.
	The Government's policy to remove the fuel duty differential from 2010-11, and to encourage the development of the cleanest, most sustainable biofuels through the RTFO, remains unaffected.

Excise Duties: Gaming Machines

Clive Betts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reference HM Revenue and Customs makes to the Gambling Commission's requirements and technical standards for gaming machines when determining for taxation purposes whether particular machines have an element of chance.

Angela Eagle: It is not the practice of HMRC to refer to the Gambling Commission's technical standards for gaming machines to determine whether any particular machine has an element of chance. The Commission's technical standards for gaming machines are not designed for the purpose of determining whether any particular machine has an element of chance.

Financial Services Authority: Secondment

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Financial Services Authority (FSA) staff are on secondment from  (a) HSBC,  (b) Lloyds TSB,  (c) HBOS,  (d) Northern Rock,  (e) Bradford and Bingley and  (f) the Royal Bank of Scotland; who pays the salaries for secondees to the FSA; and what proportion of FSA staff is made up of secondees.

Ian Pearson: The matters raised in this question are the responsibility of the Financial Services Authority, whose day to day operations are independent from Government control and influence.

Financial Services: EU Action

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government's policy is in relation to the work of the EU high-level group on regulation of financial services chaired by M. de Larosiere, established in October 2008.

Ian Pearson: The Commission has established a 'High Level group' led by Jacques de Larosiere to advise it on supervision, financial stability oversight cooperation, early warning mechanisms and crisis management, and how national supervisors in the EU should cooperate globally. It will report in the spring. Although an internal group established by the Commission, the Government will contribute fully to the group's work.

Lloyds TSB: Pay

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he expects to be consulted on the size of any stock bonuses awarded to Lloyds TSB directors during  (a) 2008 and  (b) 2009.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 8 December 2008
	The Government have set up UK Financial Investments (UKFI) to manage the stakes they take in financial institutions including Lloyds TSB. Part of UKFI's remit is to ensure appropriate implementation of the terms of the recapitalisation agreements with the banks, including those relating to directors' bonuses.

Mental Illness

Jo Swinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the recommendations relevant to his Department's policy responsibilities made in the Foresight report on Mental Capacity and Well-Being; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: HM Treasury has welcomed the report, published on 21 October 2008, which provides a useful insight into the future implications of mental capital and wellbeing for the economy and society as a whole.
	The Treasury recognises the importance of encouraging and enabling everyone to fulfil their potential. We have developed a range of public service agreements to drive improvements and coordinate Government action in this area, for example on maximising employment opportunities for all, promoting better health and wellbeing, tackling social exclusion and meeting the challenges of ageing. We also continue to work closely across Government to respond to emerging policy recommendations on mental capital and wellbeing, such as Dame Carol Black's review on health, work and wellbeing.

Royal Family: Official Gifts

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what record is kept by his Department of gifts given to the monarch and other members of the Royal Family; and how such gifts are managed.

Alistair Darling: None.

Taxation: Overpayments

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider the merits of requiring HM Revenue and Customs to pay an equivalent amount of interest on tax over-demanded and subsequently refunded to that which they charge on overdue tax.

Stephen Timms: All interest rates charged and paid out by HMRC are determined by reference to formulae set out in legislation. For most taxes and duties the rates applied on overpayments are lower than that applied on underpayments of tax and this is in line with commercial practice.
	HMRC has been consulting on a new regime for charging and paying interest, based on the principles of recompense, fairness and simplicity

Ulster Bank

Mark Durkan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer further to his contribution on 26 November 2008,  Official Report, column 752, on the legally binding agreements with the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Lloyds TSB and Halifax Bank of Scotland, whether he expects these agreements to extend to Ulster Bank.

Ian Pearson: The recapitalisation agreement is between the Treasury and the RBS holding company. Ulster Bank is part of the RBS holding company.

Unemployment

Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what modelling he has undertaken on predicted levels of unemployment in  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11 for formulation of his Department's policy.

Angela Eagle: For the purposes of the public finance projections the Treasury uses an assumption for the level of the UK claimant count in each year of the forecast horizon. This assumption is based on an average of independent external forecasts and audited by the National Audit Office.
	For pre-Budget report 2008, details of the assumed level of claimant count unemployment can be found in box B1, in Annex B on the public finances, in the pre-Budget report 2008 document (Cm 7484).

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

10 Downing Street

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Fareham of 13 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 942-43W, on 10 Downing Street, how many desk spaces are allocated to the Downing Street Political Office;
	(2)  with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Fareham of 28 October 2008,  Official Report, column 795W, on Departmental Staff, how many staff work in the Downing Street Political Office according to records held by the Downing Street switchboard.

Tom Watson: As has been the practice under successive Governments, staffing and associated costs for the Political Office are met from party funds.

10 Downing Street

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Fareham of 13 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 942-3W, on 10 Downing Street, whether the table showing the 87 members of staff working in the Cabinet Office who were not employed by the Civil Service includes those in the Downing Street Political Office.

Tom Watson: The 87 members of staff did not include Political Office staff. As has been the practice under successive Governments, staffing and associated costs for the Political Office are met from party funds.

10 Downing Street: Catering

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with reference to the answer of 11 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1130W, on 10 Downing Street: catering, whether the Cabinet Office support for the public sector food procurement initiatives entails that genetically modified ingredients are used or not used in food served in the Downing Street canteen.

Kevin Brennan: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given on 11 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1130W.

10 Downing Street: Manpower

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with reference to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) of 1 May 2008,  Official Report, column 624W, on departmental manpower, whether the figure of 189 staff on the No. 10 payroll includes the staff in the Downing Street Political Office.

Tom Watson: No. As has been the practice under successive Governments, staffing and associated costs for the Political Office are met from party funds.

British National Party: Civil Servants

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance is provided to civil servants on the compatibility of British National Party activism with holding senior positions of authority.

Tom Watson: Civil servants are required to act in accordance with the requirements of the "Civil Service Code" and the restrictions on political activities as set out in Section 4.4 of the "Civil Service Management Code" copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House or can be accessed on line at
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/documents/doc/CSMC_April08.doc

Charities: Investment

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the list of financial institutions that charities could place investments and deposits in which was approved by the Charity Commission and in effect in September 2008.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the Commission to reply.
	 Letter from Andrew Hind:
	As the Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, I have been asked to respond to your written Parliamentary Question on whether the Charity Commission, prior to the Icelandic banking crisis, approved and issued a list of financial institutions suitable for use by charities.
	Our role as the Regulator of Charities is to offer general advice and support to trustees on their duty to control and manage a charity's finances and investments. We do not recommend, promote or endorse any banks or financial services to charities, and we have neither approved or issued a list of financial services where charities could place investments and deposits.
	We offer advice, guidance and support to charities but are not able to act in their administration except in certain cases involving misconduct or mismanagement.
	Immediately following the Icelandic banking crash, we issued information on our website specifically for charities that were affected. This may be the source of the misunderstanding which has arisen regarding the advice we have given. The main aim of this guidance was to help charities identify which were likely to be eligible to claim compensation for their lost deposits through the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). The guidance will be updated with any new or additional information that might be of help to these charities.
	I hope this is helpful.

Civil Servants: Conferences

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance has been produced on civil servants attending political party conferences.

Tom Watson: The rules on civil servants' involvement in political activities is set out in section 4.4 of the "Civil Service Management Code", copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House or can be accessed online at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/documents/doc/CSMC_April08.doc
	In advance of the annual party conference season, the Cabinet Secretary issues guidance to Departments reminding them of civil servants' involvement in such conferences.

Civil Servants: Pay

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance has been produced on the relationship between the salary of senior civil servants and the number of staff they manage.

Tom Watson: The information on job evaluation for senior posts has been placed in the Library.

Civil Service Bill

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the anticipated timetable is for the  (a) publication and  (b) parliamentary passage of the Civil Service Bill.

Tom Watson: I refer the hon. Member to the Queen's Speech of 3 December 2008 which set out the Government's legislative programme for this Session.

Departmental Higher Education

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many staff in his Department undertook courses funded by the Department for  (a) undergraduate degrees,  (b) postgraduate degrees or diplomas,  (c) Masters degrees,  (d) MBA degrees and  (e) PhD degrees in the last 12 months, broken down by pay band.

Tom Watson: Cabinet Office is committed to life-long learning for all its employees and supports individuals who want to study for recognised qualifications. Individual management units decide on levels of support for their staff who undertake study for qualifications.
	Information on the number of staff who are funded is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with reference to the answer of 6 November 2008,  Official Report, column 741W, on Wilf Stevenson, on what date Wilf Stevenson was appointed as a special adviser.

Kevin Brennan: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given on 6 November 2008,  Official Report, column 741W.

Departmental Video Recordings

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with reference to the answer of 13 October 2008,  Official Report, column 949W, on departmental recordings, if he will publish the title, description and date submitted of each video on the departmental intranet based on the data held in the intranet database.

Tom Watson: I have nothing further to add to the answers I gave to the right hon. Member on 13 October 2008,  Official Report, column 949W and 4 June 2008,  Official Report, column 1046W.

Employment

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the change in number of people in employment in  (a) England,  (b) the East of England,  (c) Cambridgeshire,  (d) Peterborough and  (e) North West Cambridgeshire in the last 12 months.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated December 2008:
	As National Statistician. I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question requesting what estimate has been made of the change in number of people in employment in (a) England (b) East of England (c) Cambridgeshire (d) Peterborough and (e) North West Cambridgeshire in the last 12 months. (242875)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles employment statistics for National and regional level using the Labour Force Survey (LPS) and for smaller areas using the Annual Population Survey (APS), following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
	Table 1. attached, shows the number of people aged 16+ resident in England and the East of England who were in employment in the three month period July to September 2008. which is the latest period for which figures are available, and the change from one year earlier using LFS.
	Table 2. attached, shows the number of people aged 16+ resident in Cambridgeshire. Peterborough (UA) and North West Cambridgeshire who were in employment in the 12 month period ending in March 2008, which is the latest period for which figures are available, and the change from one year earlier using APS.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in small geographical areas, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainly.
	
		
			  Table 1: The change in employment level( 1)  for people resident in England and the East of England 
			  thousand 
			  Three month period  England  East of England 
			 July to September 2007 24,609 2,777 
			 July to September 2008(2) *24,742 *2,816 
			
			 Change on year +133 +39 
			 (1) Levels of employment are provided for persons aged 16 and over. (2) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See guide to quality as follows.  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical Robustness * 0 = CV< 5 Estimates are considered precise ** 5 = CV < 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 = CV < 20 Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes  Source: Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: The change in employment level( 1)  for people resident in Cambridgeshire, Peterborough (UA) and North West Cambridgeshire using the annual population survey 
			  thousand 
			  12 month period ending  Cambridgeshire  Peterborough (UA)  North West Cambridgeshire 
			 March 2007 296 80 61 
			 March 2008(2) **317 ***78 ***59 
			 
			 Change on year +21 -3 -2 
			 (1) Levels of employment are provided for persons aged 16 and over. (2) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See guide to quality as follows.  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical Robustness * 0 = CV< 5 Estimates are considered precise ** 5 = CV < 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 = CV < 20 Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes  Source: Annual Population Survey

Government Communications Network: Recruitment

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what criteria are used by the Government Communication Network to decide whether a government communications job is advertised publicly on the Civil Service Recruitment Gateway or internally only.

Tom Watson: Individual Departments are responsible for advertising their communication jobs to the public and internally across Departments.
	The Government Communication Network (GCN) advises that Government communications jobs which are open to the public are advertised on the Civil Service Recruitment Gateway and across the GCN.

Government Departments: Contracts

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the timetable is for the commencement and review of the Public Services Forum's Access to Skills, Trade Unions and Advice in Government contracting agreement.

Tom Watson: The Public Services Forum Joint Statement on Access to Skills, Trade Unions and Advice came into force on the day it was launched: 15 July 2008. An initial review of the first six months of its operation will take place, as set out in the joint statement.

Immigration

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with reference to the Answer of 18 November 2008,  Official Report, column 408W, on immigration, what the level is of net immigration at which the population of the UK would remain below 70 million on unchanged assumptions about birth rates, mortality and emigration levels and on the basis of the most recent population projections.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated December 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question, pursuant to the answer of 18th November 2008 (Official Report, column 408W) on immigration, regarding what the level of net immigration is at which the population of the UK would remain below 70 million on unchanged assumptions about birth rates, mortality and emigration levels on the basis of the most recent population projections. (243465)
	Migration assumptions for national population projections are conventionally expressed in terms of net migration (immigration less emigration) rather than for the gross flows separately. However, nominal immigration and emigration totals are used in the projection process mainly to enable plausible age distributions to be calculated for the assumed net migration totals.
	The 2006-based principal (or central) projection assumed a long-term annual net inflow to the UK of +190,000 persons a year. In this projection, the population of the UK is projected to reach 70 million in 2028. To answer your question, further population projections have been produced by reducing the nominal immigration totals applied in the 2006-based principal projection, but leaving the fertility, mortality and emigration assumptions unchanged. Based on these assumptions, with a long-term net migration inflow of +60,000 a year, the population would reach 70 million in the 2070s. However, with a net migration inflow of +50,000 a year the population would be just below 70 million in 2081, although it would still be continuing to rise.
	In practice, this may not be a realistic scenario. If immigration fell permanently to levels well below those experienced in recent years, it is likely that this would, in time, lead to a reduction in the level of emigration as well, it is possible to have a range of combinations of levels of immigration and emigration consistent with any particular level of net migration and these would lead to different projected population sizes.

National School of Government

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library a copy of the brochures for courses run by the National School of Government.

Tom Watson: This is a matter for the National School of Government. I have asked the Principal and Chief Executive to assist by writing to you.
	 Letter from Rod Clark, dated December 2008:
	In the Written Ministerial Statement to the House on 9 January 2007 (Official Report Col 5WS), the then Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Pat McFadden MP) announced that the National School of Government was now a Non Ministerial Department. Consequently, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the National School of Government.
	In consideration of your request, I confirm that copies of the full National School of Government portfolio of courses for 2008-09 and other specialist brochures have been placed in the Library of the House. Latest information on courses and services is always available on the National School web site:
	http://www.nationalschool.gov.uk/

National Security

Jo Swinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment has been made of the level of threat to national security from  (a) an influenza pandemic and  (b) a bioterror attack.

Tom Watson: The National Risk Register, published earlier this year as part of the Government's wider National Security Strategy, sets out our assessment of the likelihood and potential impact of a range of different risks that may directly affect the UK. The document is available in the Libraries of the House and is also accessible online via the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/reports/national_risk _register.aspx
	The assessments for pandemic influenza and 'bioterror attack' are detailed at paragraphs 2.27 and 2.104 of this document respectively.

Non-profit Making Associations: Finance

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much funding the Office of the Third Sector is providing to regional Third Sector networks; and what the address is of each such network.

Kevin Brennan: Figures for funding to regional third sector networks during 2008-09 will be available when the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts are published and laid before Parliament. I expect this to be before summer recess in 2009.
	In 2007-08 direct funding from the Office of the Third Sector to regional third sector networks was through the Regional Infrastructure programme. This is a three year programme, from 2005 until March 2009. Recipients during 2007-08 were as follows:
	
		
			  Region  Organisation  Amount (£)  Address 
			 East of England MENTER 61,000 62-64 Victoria Road, Cambridge CB4 DU 
			  Community and Voluntary Forum: eastern region 61,000 Eagle Stile, Rectory Farm Barns, Walden Road, Little Chesterford, Essex CB10 1UD 
			 
			 London London Voluntary Service Council 61,000 356 Holloway Road, London N7 6PA 
			  MiNet (Minority Network) 61,000 Suite 101, Cremer Business Centre, 37 Cremer Street, London E2 8HD 
			 East Midlands VOICE(1) 30,500 66 Carlton Road, Nottingham, NG3 2AP 
			  ENGAGE(1) 61,000 7 Mansfield Road, Nottingham NG1 3FB 
			 
			 North East Voluntary Organisations' Network North East 61,000 9th Floor, Cale Cross, 156 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 6SU 
			  BECON 61,000 182 Portland Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE2 1DJ 
			 
			 North West North West Network 61,000 2nd Floor, Albert House, 17 Bloom Street, Manchester 
			  Voluntary Sector North West 61,000 St. Thomas Centre, Ardwick Green, Manchester M12 6FZ 
			 
			 South East Regional Action and Involvement South East 61,000 Bridge House, 1 Walnut Tree Close, Guilford GU1 4GA 
			  Regional Action and Involvement South East (Diversity & Equality Project) 61,000 Bridge House, 1 Walnut Tree Close, Guilford GU1 4GA 
			 
			 South West South West Forum 61,000 Unit 6, Cranmere Court, Lustleigh Close, Matford Business Park, Exeter EX2 8PW 
			  Black South West Network 61,000 5 Russell Town Avenue, Redfield, Bristol BS5 9LT 
			 
			 West Midlands Regional Action West Midlands 66,000 Waterlinks House, Richard Street, Birmingham B7 4AA 
			  bRAP 51,244 9th Floor, Edgbaston House, 3 Duchess Place, Hagley Road, Birmingham B16 8NH 
			  West Midlands Local Government Association 2,000 3rd Floor Albert House, Quay Place, 92-93 Edward Street, Birmingham B1 2RA 
			 
			 Yorkshire & Humber Housing Action Yorkshire and Humberside—Key House 13,000 Regional Homelessness Network, 130 North Street, Keighley BD21 3AD 
			  Yorkshire & Humber Regional Forum 61,000 Suite D10, Joseph's Well, Hanover Walk, Leeds LS3 1AB 
			  Yorkshire & Humber Regional Forum (BME Panel) 25,000 Suite D10, Joseph's Well, Hanover Walk, Leeds LS3 1AB 
			  Bradford LGB Partnership 8,000 Equity Partnership, Perkins House, 1 Longlands Street, Bradford BD1 2TP 
			  Northern Refugee Centre 15,000 Scotia Works, Leadmill Road, Sheffield S1 4SE 
			 (1 )VOICE and ENGAGE have now merged to form One East Midlands, whose address is Nottingham Voluntary Action Centre, 7 Mansfield Road, Nottingham NG1 3FB.

Unemployment: Disabled

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  what the  (a) employment and  (b) unemployment rate for disabled ethnic minority (i) women, (ii) men and (iii) men and women aged (A) 16 to 24, (B) 25 to 34, (C) 34 to 49 and (D) 50 to state retirement age was in each quarter of the last 10 years;
	(2)  what the  (a) employment and  (b) unemployment rate for disabled (i) women, (ii) men and (iii) men and women aged (A) 16 to 24, (B) 25 to 34, (C) 34 to 49 and (D) 50 to state retirement age was in each quarter of the last 10 years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated December 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking what the (a) employment and (b) unemployment rate for disabled ethnic minority (i) women, (ii) men and (iii) men and women aged (A) 16 to 24, (B) 25 to 34, (C) 34 to 49 and (D) 50 to state retirement age was in each quarter of the last 10 years. (241443); and what the (a) employment and (b) unemployment rate for disabled (i) women, (ii) men and (iii) men and women aged (A) 16 to 24, (B) 25 to 34, (C) 34 to 49 and (D) 50 to state retirement age was in each quarter of the last 10 years. (241442)
	The available information requested is provided in the attached tables. Table 1 contains employment rates for people with disabilities and for people with disabilities who consider their ethnic group to be non-white. Table 2 contains unemployment rates for the same categories. Comparable data by ethnic group is not available prior to April 2001.
	The estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). In the LFS, people with disabilities are defined as those who have a long-term health problem or disability which either substantially limits their day-to-day activities or affects the kind or amount of work they might do, or both. As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. The estimates for men and women with disabilities from a non-white ethnic group given in this answer should be treated with caution as they are not considered reliable for practical purposes.
	The figures have been derived from the LFS microdata which are weighted using the official population estimates published in Autumn 2007. Consequently the estimates from Q3 2006 onwards are not entirely consistent with the figures published in the monthly Labour Market Statistics First Release which are weighted using more up-to-date population estimates.
	
		
			  Table 1A: Employment rates( 1)  for people with disablities( 2) , by age group and ethnicity( 3) , calendar quarters, 1998 to 2008, United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Percentage 
			People with disabilities 
			16 to 24  25 to 34  35 to 49  50 to 59-64( 4) 
			All  Non-white  All  Non-white  All  Non-white  All  Non-white 
			 1998 Q2 48 n/a 52 n/a 49 n/a 35 n/a 
			  Q3 52 n/a 52 n/a 51 n/a 35 n/a 
			  Q4 51 n/a 52 n/a 52 n/a 36 n/a 
			   
			 1999 Q1 46 n/a 53 n/a 52 n/a 36 n/a 
			  Q2 47 n/a 54 n/a 54 n/a 38 n/a 
			  Q3 50 n/a 54 n/a 53 n/a 38 n/a 
			  Q4 48 n/a 53 n/a 54 n/a 39 n/a 
			   
			 2000 Q1 45 n/a 53 n/a 54 n/a 38 n/a 
			  Q2 45 n/a 53 n/a 53 n/a 39 n/a 
			  Q3 46 n/a 55 n/a 53 n/a 39 n/a 
			  Q4 48 n/a 56 n/a 54 n/a 39 n/a 
			   
			 2001 Q1 47 n/a 54 n/a 54 n/a 39 n/a 
			  Q2 48 38 54 37 53 40 39 25 
			  Q3 50 30 54 36 53 37 39 26 
			  Q4 48 31 54 42 55 41 40 29 
			   
			 2002 Q1 47 32 54 44 54 39 40 30 
			  Q2 46 32 53 44 55 37 41 27 
			  Q3 48 29 54 49 54 36 42 26 
			  Q4 48 27 56 48 55 37 43 26 
			   
			 2003 Q1 44 31 56 41 54 35 42 28 
			  Q2 44 34 56 40 54 37 43 30 
			  Q3 45 42 56 43 55 37 43 27 
			  Q4 45 43 54 39 56 39 42 32 
			   
			 2004 Q1 47 38 53 40 56 40 45 35 
			  Q2 45 40 54 44 55 41 43 36 
			  Q3 47 34 54 42 56 44 45 34 
			  Q4 48 30 54 36 56 42 45 32 
			   
			 2005 Q1 44 20 54 41 56 40 45 34 
			  Q2 44 19 54 39 56 44 45 29 
			  Q3 47 26 54 38 56 36 45 35 
			  Q4 44 28 56 40 56 36 45 33 
			   
			 2006 Q1 44 30 56 48 57 39 45 34 
			  Q2 43 29 53 38 56 42 46 33 
			  Q3 45 23 53 37 57 42 47 34 
			  Q4 43 24 53 41 56 42 46 35 
			   
			 2007 Q1 43 27 54 42 55 42 45 32 
			  Q2 40 28 55 39 54 40 47 35 
			  Q3 41 26 55 48 56 46 47 38 
			  Q4 44 25 55 39 55 41 47 35 
			 2008 Q1 42 23 55 44 55 43 47 37 
			  Q2 43 29 57 44 56 43 47 36 
			  Q3 44 33 55 40 55 43 47 40 
			  Source: Labour Force Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 1B: Employment rates( 1)  for men with disablities( 2) , by age group and ethnicity( 3) , calendar quarters, 1998 to 2008, United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Percentage 
			Men with disabilities 
			16 to 24  25 to 34  35 to 49  50 to 59-64( 4) 
			All  Non-white  All  Non-white  All  Non-white  All  Non-white 
			 1998 Q2 48 n/a 60 n/a 53 n/a 35 n/a 
			  Q3 53 n/a 59 n/a 55 n/a 36 n/a 
			  Q4 48 n/a 56 n/a 58 n/a 36 n/a 
			   
			 1999 Q1 49 n/a 63 n/a 56 n/a 38 n/a 
			  Q2 48 n/a 59 n/a 59 n/a 38 n/a 
			  Q3 51 n/a 61 n/a 58 n/a 38 n/a 
			  Q4 50 n/a 60 n/a 59 n/a 38 n/a 
			   
			 2000 Q1 46 n/a 62 n/a 60 n/a 39 n/a 
			  Q2 46 n/a 62 n/a 59 n/a 39 n/a 
			  Q3 44 n/a 63 n/a 60 n/a 40 n/a 
			  Q4 47 n/a 63 n/a 60 n/a 40 n/a 
			   
			 2001 Q1 45 n/a 61 n/a 60 n/a 40 n/a 
			  Q2 49 32 61 50 57 50 40 27 
			  Q3 51 30 61 48 58 45 41 31 
			  Q4 48 35 60 52 60 51 41 31 
			   
			 2002 Q1 45 27 58 53 59 45 41 34 
			  Q2 45 35 58 53 60 40 42 31 
			  Q3 47 27 58 56 61 42 42 29 
			  Q4 48 24 61 56 62 46 44 31 
			   
			 2003 Q1 44 36 61 51 61 46 44 36 
			  Q2 45 38 61 49 61 49 44 38 
			  Q3 44 35 61 51 62 49 44 29 
			  Q4 46 45 59 46 61 49 44 34 
			   
			 2004 Q1 48 31 58 48 62 49 46 38 
			  Q2 44 32 58 48 61 51 44 41 
			  Q3 47 33 57 50 62 50 46 40 
			  Q4 45 30 58 38 62 51 46 39 
			   
			 2005 Q1 42 17 56 45 60 46 46 42 
			  Q2 42 18 59 42 60 52 46 36 
			  Q3 46 32 58 45 61 42 46 42 
			  Q4 43 25 62 49 60 43 46 40 
			   
			 2006 Q1 42 23 60 60 62 50 45 44 
			  Q2 43 26 57 48 60 52 47 41 
			  Q3 46 13 58 49 61 49 47 39 
			  Q4 42 25 58 53 61 51 46 40 
			   
			 2007 Q1 41 33 60 50 60 49 46 36 
			  Q2 41 30 61 52 59 48 47 38 
			  Q3 40 21 58 58 61 56 48 45 
			  Q4 42 23 56 48 60 52 48 41 
			   
			 2008 Q1 43 23 61 58 60 54 48 42 
			  Q2 42 27 59 54 60 53 48 43 
			  Q3 44 32 59 48 59 51 49 50 
			  Source: Labour Force Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 1C: Employment rates( 1)  for women with disablities( 2) , by age group and ethnicity( 3) , calendar quarters, 1998 to 2008, United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Percentage 
			Women with disabilities 
			16 to 24  25 to 34  35 to 49  50 to 59-64( 4) 
			All  Non-white  All  Non-white  All  Non-white  All  Non-white 
			 1998 Q2 47 n/a 45 n/a 46 n/a 34 n/a 
			  Q3 50 n/a 45 n/a 48 n/a 34 n/a 
			  Q4 54 n/a 48 n/a 47 n/a 37 n/a 
			   
			 1999 Q1 43 n/a 44 n/a 49 n/a 34 n/a 
			  Q2 47 n/a 49 n/a 49 n/a 38 n/a 
			  Q3 48 n/a 49 n/a 49 n/a 38 n/a 
			  Q4 47 n/a 47 n/a 48 n/a 39 n/a 
			   
			 2000 Q1 45 n/a 45 n/a 48 n/a 38 n/a 
			  Q2 44 n/a 46 n/a 48 n/a 38 n/a 
			  Q3 47 n/a 48 n/a 48 n/a 38 n/a 
			  Q4 50 n/a 49 n/a 49 n/a 38 n/a 
			   
			 2001 Q1 50 n/a 47 n/a 48 n/a 38 n/a 
			  Q2 48 42 47 26 49 32 38 23 
			  Q3 49 31 47 28 48 30 37 20 
			  Q4 49 27 48 36 50 32 39 26 
			   
			 2002 Q1 50 38 49 37 50 34 38 25 
			  Q2 47 29 49 35 51 34 40 24 
			  Q3 49 32 50 41 49 31 41 24 
			  Q4 47 30 50 41 49 30 41 19 
			   
			 2003 Q1 45 25 51 34 48 27 41 19 
			  Q2 43 30 51 33 49 28 41 20 
			  Q3 45 49 52 37 49 28 42 26 
			  Q4 45 41 49 33 50 32 41 31 
			   
			 2004 Q1 47 47 49 31 50 32 43 31 
			  Q2 46 46 50 40 50 33 42 31 
			  Q3 48 36 51 35 51 40 43 27 
			  Q4 51 30 50 32 51 36 43 26 
			   
			 2005 Q1 45 22 51 37 52 34 44 26 
			  Q2 46 19 50 35 52 37 42 23 
			  Q3 48 20 50 31 52 31 44 29 
			  Q4 46 31 51 33 52 31 43 28 
			   
			 2006 Q1 45 41 52 38 52 31 45 25 
			  Q2 42 32 50 28 53 34 45 25 
			  Q3 44 34 49 25 53 37 45 29 
			  Q4 45 23 48 31 51 33 45 30 
			   
			 2007 Q1 45 21 49 35 51 35 45 28 
			  Q2 40 24 50 27 50 33 46 31 
			  Q3 42 34 52 39 52 37 46 30 
			  Q4 46 29 53 32 51 33 46 30 
			   
			 2008 Q1 42 21 50 30 52 32 46 33 
			  Q2 45 32 54 33 52 34 44 29 
			  Q3 43 34 51 32 52 36 45 30 
			 n/a = Data not available. (1) Employment rate is calculated as number of people in employment as a percentage of the population in the individual age group. (2) Comprises people who have a long-term health problem or disability which either substantially limits their day-to-day activities or affects the kind or amount of work they might do, or both. (3) Comprises people who have a long-term health problem or disability which either substantially limits their day-to-day activities or affects the kind or amount of work they might do, or both, from a non-white ethnic group. (4) Men aged 50-64 and women aged 50-59.  Notes: It should be noted that the above estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites etc).  Source: Labour Force Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2A: Unemployment rates( 1)  for people with disablities( 2) , by age group and ethnicity( 3) , calendar quarters, 1998 to 2008, United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Percentage 
			People with disabilities 
			16 to 24  25 to 34  35 to 49  50 to 59-64( 4) 
			All  Non-white  All  Non-white  All  Non-white  All  Non-white 
			 1998 Q2 20 n/a 14 n/a 9 n/a 9 n/a 
			  Q3 22 n/a 12 n/a 9 n/a 8 n/a 
			  Q4 20 n/a 12 n/a 9 n/a 8 n/a 
			   
			 1999 Q1 22 n/a 11 n/a 10 n/a 8 n/a 
			  Q2 22 n/a 10 n/a 9 n/a 8 n/a 
			  Q3 21 n/a 11 n/a 9 n/a 7 n/a 
			  Q4 20 n/a 14 n/a 8 n/a 7 n/a 
			   
			 2000 Q1 20 n/a 14 n/a 9 n/a 8 n/a 
			  Q2 20 n/a 13 n/a 8 n/a 8 n/a 
			  Q3 23 n/a 10 n/a 8 n/a 7 n/a 
			  Q4 19 n/a 8 n/a 7 n/a 7 n/a 
			   
			 2001 Q1 19 n/a 10 n/a 8 n/a 6 n/a 
			  Q2 17 33 10 17 7 16 6 18 
			  Q3 18 38 11 24 7 17 6 23 
			  Q4 20 41 10 18 7 13 6 19 
			   
			 2002 Q1 19 33 12 16 7 12 5 15 
			  Q2 18 24 10 13 7 14 5 17 
			  Q3 19 38 9 10 8 19 5 15 
			  Q4 17 38 8 12 7 18 5 14 
			 2003 Q1 20 37 9 16 7 17 6 12 
			  Q2 19 22 9 18 6 11 6 12 
			  Q3 25 34 9 14 6 16 6 16 
			  Q4 18 24 9 18 7 16 5 15 
			   
			 2004 Q1 16 24 11 22 6 14 4 6 
			  Q2 19 27 9 18 6 13 5 10 
			  Q3 19 28 9 15 6 13 4 8 
			  Q4 18 33 10 24 5 11 5 9 
			   
			 2005 Q1 19 38 10 17 6 14 5 10 
			  Q2 18 31 10 25 6 8 6 10 
			  Q3 21 44 11 18 6 15 5 11 
			  Q4 22 32 10 16 7 18 5 13 
			   
			 2006 Q1 20 29 11 16 7 20 6 12 
			  Q2 22 32 12 16 8 19 5 12 
			  Q3 25 39 12 24 7 18 5 10 
			  Q4 22 39 12 14 8 20 5 9 
			   
			 2007 Q1 22 35 11 19 7 17 6 9 
			  Q2 23 41 10 26 8 19 6 14 
			  Q3 25 30 10 17 8 13 6 11 
			  Q4 21 34 11 22 7 17 6 10 
			   
			 2008 Q1 25 47 11 17 7 15 6 10 
			  Q2 25 37 10 17 8 12 6 13 
			  Q3 25 34 10 18 9 15 6 12 
			  Source: Labour Force Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2B: Unemployment rates( 1)  for men with disablities( 2) , by age group and ethnicity( 3) , calendar quarters, 1998 to 2008, United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Percentage 
			Men with disabilities 
			16 to 24  25 to 34  35 to 49  50 to 59-64( 4) 
			All  Non-white  All  Non-white  All  Non-white  All  Non-white 
			 1998 Q2 22 n/a 14 n/a 11 n/a 10 n/a 
			  Q3 24 n/a 13 n/a 11 n/a 10 n/a 
			  Q4 24 n/a 14 n/a 9 n/a 9 n/a 
			   
			 1999 Q1 22 n/a 9 n/a 12 n/a 9 n/a 
			  Q2 26 n/a 12 n/a 10 n/a 9 n/a 
			  Q3 24 n/a 13 n/a 11 n/a 9 n/a 
			  Q4 23 n/a 15 n/a 9 n/a 9 n/a 
			   
			 2000 Q1 24 n/a 15 n/a 9 n/a 10 n/a 
			  Q2 23 n/a 13 n/a 9 n/a 9 n/a 
			  Q3 29 n/a 11 n/a 9 n/a 8 n/a 
			  Q4 24 n/a 9 n/a 7 n/a 8 n/a 
			   
			 2001 Q1 24 n/a 12 n/a 9 n/a 8 n/a 
			  Q2 19 43 11 13 9 13 7 26 
			  Q3 22 43 12 22 8 20 7 25 
			  Q4 25 46 13 24 7 12 7 23 
			   
			 2002 Q1 25 47 14 19 8 15 6 16 
			  Q2 22 26 12 14 8 20 6 19 
			  Q3 22 42 12 12 9 22 6 16 
			  Q4 20 43 10 13 8 16 6 11 
			   
			 2003 Q1 26 36 10 16 8 17 6 12 
			  Q2 23 24 10 15 8 12 6 7 
			  Q3 29 41 11 17 7 16 6 17 
			  Q4 21 19 10 19 7 19 6 18 
			   
			 2004 Q1 18 30 12 24 6 17 5 6 
			  Q2 22 30 11 23 7 16 5 7 
			  Q3 20 31 11 15 6 14 5 6 
			  Q4 21 29 12 31 6 14 5 9 
			   
			 2005 Q1 22 33 13 19 7 16 6 14 
			  Q2 22 39 12 28 7 6 6 14 
			  Q3 24 42 12 18 7 16 6 16 
			  Q4 25 29 12 14 8 21 6 18 
			   
			 2006 Q1 25 44 13 14 8 22 6 17 
			  Q2 25 41 15 17 8 19 6 13 
			  Q3 26 57 14 22 7 17 6 11 
			  Q4 28 45 13 10 9 17 6 10 
			   
			 2007 Q1 26 35 12 18 9 17 6 8 
			  Q2 25 40 10 24 9 18 6 13 
			  Q3 29 40 12 22 8 11 7 13 
			  Q4 27 41 14 27 8 15 7 14 
			   
			 2008 Q1 28 48 12 18 8 14 7 13 
			  Q2 29 44 11 17 8 14 6 15 
			  Q3 29 39 11 16 11 18 6 13 
			  Source: Labour Force Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2C: Unemployment rates( 1)  for women with disablities( 2) , by age group and ethnicity( 3) , calendar quarters, 1998 to 2008, United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Percentage 
			Women with disabilities 
			16 to 24  25 to 34  35 to 49  50 to 59-64( 4) 
			All  Non-white  All  Non-white  All  Non-white  All  Non-white 
			 1998 Q2 17 n/a 12 n/a 7 n/a 7 n/a 
			  Q3 20 n/a 11 n/a 6 n/a 5 n/a 
			  Q4 17 n/a 10 n/a 8 n/a 6 n/a 
			   
			 1999 Q1 23 n/a 13 n/a 8 n/a 5 n/a 
			  Q2 18 n/a 9 n/a 8 n/a 7 n/a 
			  Q3 17 n/a 9 n/a 7 n/a 6 n/a 
			  Q4 17 n/a 12 n/a 8 n/a 5 n/a 
			   
			 2000 Q1 16 n/a 13 n/a 8 n/a 7 n/a 
			  Q2 17 n/a 13 n/a 7 n/a 6 n/a 
			  Q3 16 n/a 8 n/a 8 n/a 5 n/a 
			  Q4 14 n/a 7 n/a 6 n/a 6 n/a 
			   
			 2001 Q1 14 n/a 8 n/a 7 n/a 5 n/a 
			  Q2 15 24 9 23 6 19 4 (5)— 
			  Q3 14 30 10 26 6 13 5 18 
			  Q4 13 27 7 12 6 14 4 13 
			   
			 2002 Q1 12 12 9 14 5 9 5 13 
			  Q2 14 21 9 10 6 5 4 14 
			  Q3 16 34 6 8 7 15 4 13 
			  Q4 14 32 6 12 7 20 5 19 
			   
			 2003 Q1 14 37 7 16 7 17 5 13 
			  Q2 16 19 8 21 5 11 4 21 
			  Q3 21 27 7 12 5 15 5 16 
			  Q4 15 30 7 16 6 11 4 11 
			   
			 2004 Q1 13 19 9 17 6 9 3 8 
			  Q2 16 25 7 10 5 10 4 15 
			  Q3 17 24 8 16 6 13 3 11 
			  Q4 15 36 7 13 5 7 4 9 
			   
			 2005 Q1 15 40 8 15 5 11 4 (5)— 
			  Q2 13 22 9 20 5 9 5 (5)— 
			  Q3 17 47 10 17 6 15 4 (5)— 
			  Q4 18 35 8 18 6 15 4 7 
			   
			 2006 Q1 14 11 8 19 7 18 4 (5)— 
			  Q2 18 22 9 14 7 19 5 8 
			  Q3 23 26 11 28 7 18 5 8 
			  Q4 16 31 11 19 7 22 5 9 
			   
			 2007 Q1 17 35 11 19 6 16 5 11 
			  Q2 19 41 10 30 7 21 5 14 
			  Q3 20 17 9 11 7 15 5 7 
			  Q4 15 19 8 16 6 19 4 (5)— 
			   
			 2008 Q1 19 46 9 14 7 17 4 6 
			  Q2 18 23 9 17 7 10 5 11 
			  Q3 21 22 9 21 7 12 6 11 
			 n/a = Data not available. (1) The unemployment rate is calculated as the number of people unemployed as a percentage of the economically active population in the individual age group. (2) Comprises people who have a long-term health problem or disability which either substantially limits their day-to-day activities or affects the kind or amount of work they might do, or both. (3) Comprises people who have a long-term health problem or disability which either substantially limits their day-to-day activities or affects the kind or amount of work they might do, or both, from a non-white ethnic group. (4) Men aged 50-64 and women aged 50-59. (5) Sample size too small for reliable estimate.  Notes: It should be noted that the above estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites etc).  Source: Labour Force Survey

HEALTH

Lyme Disease

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines his Department has given to medical practitioners on diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease.

Ann Keen: Guidance on the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease is provided to general practitioners and other clinicians by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) and is published on the HPA website
	www.hpa.org.uk.
	In addition, the HPA's Lyme Disease Reference Unit advises clinicians directly on treatment and patient referral as appropriate, through its nationwide links to experts in infectious diseases, neurology, rheumatology and other specialities.

Lyme Disease

Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to encourage faster and better diagnosis of Lyme disease.

Ann Keen: The Department is fully satisfied that the diagnostic tests for Borrelia burgdorferi that are freely available to NHS clinicians are fully validated and offer the required level of specificity and sensitivity to accurately diagnose Lyme disease and that current guidance for clinicians on the detection and diagnosis of Lyme disease, as published by the Health Protection Agency, is entirely appropriate.
	The Health Protection Agency's Lyme disease reference laboratory has been at the forefront of close international collaboration to improve diagnostic tests and to promote evidence based treatments.

GP-led Health Centres

Christine Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the first new GP-led health centre to open; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: I opened the first GP-led health centre on 28 November in Bradford. The second was opened by my hon. Friend the Minister of State (Phil Hope) in Corby on 9 December.
	150 further such centres will provide GP services for any member of the public, regardless of where they are registered, from 8 am to 8 pm, 365 days a year, improving access and choice for all.

GP-led Health Centres

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the first GP-led health centre to open.

Ben Bradshaw: The Secretary of State for Health opened the first fully operational GP-led health centre on 28 November in Bradford.
	Nottinghamshire primary care trust plans to open its new GP-led health centre in Sutton-in-Ashfield in April 2009.

Polyclinics

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential effects of polyclinics on existing GP practices.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government have no plans to introduce polyclinics in England. "Polyclinics" is a term that the NHS in London is using to describe ways of bringing existing GP services together with other services in convenient community-based settings.
	In other parts of the country—including the hon. Member's own constituency—the NHS is establishing GP-led health centres, to provide more choice and convenience for patients in how they access NHS services.

Polyclinics

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce polyclinics in  (a) England and  (b) Croydon.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government have no plans to introduce polyclinics. "Polyclinics" is a term that the NHS in London is using to describe ways of bringing existing GP services together with other services, in convenient, community-based settings. Every PCT in England is procuring a GP-led health centre.
	Croydon plans to establish its new GP-led health centre in central Croydon as part of its redesign of primary care networks.

Resource Allocation

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the allocation of resources to those areas with the greatest health need; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The new funding formula announced last week includes a separate health inequalities formula, that directs resources to the places with greatest need. My hon. Friend's local NHS benefits from the new formula and will receive an 11.7 per cent. increase in funding over the next two years.

Resource Allocation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take in response to the resource allocation review; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The recommendations of the advisory committee on resource allocation informed the new funding formula announced on 8 December that the hon. Member's local NHS—South East Essex—benefits from the new formula and will receive an 11.3 per cent. increase in funding over the next two years.

Mental Health and Criminal Justice

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on services for people in the criminal justice system with mental health conditions; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: Some primary care trusts have agreed schemes that are designed to avoid unnecessary referrals to hospital and promote more clinically appropriate alternatives. It is for primary care trusts to evaluate the effectiveness of these schemes. The Department has made clear to the national health service that any such schemes must promote the most clinically appropriate care for patients.

Hospital Referrals

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect of incentives offered by primary care trusts to GPs for reducing numbers of referrals for hospital appointments on referral rates and the welfare of patients.

Ben Bradshaw: Some primary care trusts (PCTs) have agreed schemes that are designed to avoid unnecessary referrals to hospital and promote more clinically appropriate alternatives. It is for primary care trusts to evaluate the effectiveness of these schemes. The Department of Health has made clear to the NHS that any such schemes must promote the most clinically appropriate care for patients.

Hospital Debt

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of options to address the problem of historic debt accrued by NHS hospitals.

Ben Bradshaw: As a result of introducing a new loans system in 2006-07, there were 17 NHS trusts where the financial challenges were such that they were designated as 'financially challenged'.
	By the end of 2007-08, 10 were able to demonstrate the ability to produce sufficient surpluses going forward to an extent that they were no longer deemed 'financially challenged'.
	The Department continues to work with the remaining seven to develop solutions.

Non-geographical Telephone Numbers

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to discontinue the use of 084 telephone numbers in the NHS.

Ben Bradshaw: We are considering discontinuing the use of telephone numbers such as 084 in the NHS, where the cost to the patient of calling those numbers is greater than the cost of a local rate call. We therefore launched a public consultation today on this issue, which is due to run until 31 March 2009, and which will inform the Government's decision on the future use of such numbers in the NHS.

Dispensing Services

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on the future of dispensing services operated by GPs.

Phil Hope: Following the publication of the White Paper "Pharmacy in England: Building on strengths - delivering the future" in April 2008, we have received a large amount of correspondence from dispensing practices, their patients and the public.
	We have also received several tens of thousands of responses to the consultation, "Pharmacy in England - Building on strengths, delivering the future - Proposals for legislative change" which was published on 27 August 2008 and closed on 20 November 2008.
	We recognise the concerns that are being expressed by dispensing doctors, their staff and patients. We will make our decision as quickly as possible, following full consideration of the responses received.

Hospital Car Parks

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what income was generated in the Mid-Essex Hospital Trust area by charging for hospital car parking in the last year for which figures are available.

Phil Hope: Income is reported voluntarily through the annual Estates Related Information Collection (ERIC) for car parking for staff and visitors. In 2007-08, the total income was £939,952. These data are provided by the NHS on a voluntary basis and have not been amended following their collection, nor have they been actively checked by the Department. They therefore cannot be confirmed to be accurate or complete.

Health Care: Disabled People

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy of health care available in the NHS for those with a disability.

Phil Hope: The Secretary of State for Health has produced his triennial disability equality report, showing that significant progress has been made towards equality for disabled people in the health and social care sector. The report was published on 1 December 2008 and a copy has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Health Outcomes

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress his Department has made towards reducing inequalities in health outcomes.

Ann Keen: The latest 2005-07 data show a further slight narrowing of the infant mortality gap, no change in the gap in female life expectancy, and a widening gap in male life expectancy compared to 2004-06. In addition, cancer and circulatory disease mortality show a further narrowing of inequalities in absolute terms.

NHS Dentistry

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy of levels of access to NHS dentistry.

Ann Keen: 26.9 million people saw an NHS dentist in the 24 months ending June 2008.
	The importance of improving access to NHS dental services is reiterated in the 2009-10 Operating Framework published this week. And this is being supported by extra resources—an 11 per cent. uplift in our dental funding allocations for the current year 2008-09, and a further 8.5 per cent. uplift for 2009-10 announced in this week's framework, which will take the total allocation to £2,257 million (net of patient charge income).
	In addition, last week we announced we have set up a review to advise how we can ensure that everyone who wants to see an NHS dentist can do so.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards the new public service agreement target to reduce drug and alcohol harm, with particular reference to the new national indicator to measure change in the rate of hospital admissions for alcohol-related conditions.

Dawn Primarolo: The aim of the public service agreement indicator relating to the rate of hospital admissions for alcohol-related conditions is to achieve a lower rate of admission than predicted if current trends continue. For the reduction to be statistically significant, the rate needs to be 1.4 per cent. below the projected level. Data are currently available up to 2006-07. We expect data for 2007-08 and the first period of 2008-09 to become available before the end of March 2009.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what change there has been in the number of alcohol-related  (a) admissions and  (b) visits to accident and emergency facilities since the implementation of changes affecting the sale of alcohol contained in the Licensing Act 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The following table gives the total number of alcohol-related finished admissions and the for the years 2004-05 to 2006-07.
	
		
			  Alcohol-related finished admissions 
			   Number 
			 2004-05 644,185 
			 2005-06 735,512 
			 2006-07 799,120 
			  Notes: 1. The number of alcohol-related admissions is based on the methodology developed by the North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO). Following international best practice, the NWPHO methodology includes a wide range of diseases and injuries in which alcohol plays a part and estimates the proportion of cases that are attributable to the consumption of alcohol. Details of the conditions and associated proportions can be found in the report Jones et al. (2008) "Alcohol-attributable fractions for England: Alcohol-attributable mortality and hospital admissions". Includes activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. 2. Finished admission episodes: A finished admission episode is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Finished admission episodes are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of inpatients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 3. Primary diagnosis: The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.  4. Secondary diagnoses: As well as the primary diagnosis, there are up to 13 (six prior to 2002-03) secondary diagnosis fields in HES that show other diagnoses relevant to the episode of care. 5. Number of episodes in which the patient had an alcohol-related primary or secondary diagnosis: These figures represent the number of episodes where an alcohol-related diagnosis was recorded in any of the 14 (seven prior to 2002-03) primary and secondary diagnosis fields in a HES record. Each episode is only counted once in each count, even if an alcohol-related diagnosis is recorded in more than one diagnosis field of the record. 
		
	
	The information for alcohol-related attendances at accident and emergency departments is not collected centrally.

Bowel Cancer: Death

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the age-standardised mortality rate for bowel cancer was in each parliamentary constituency in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated December 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the age-standardised mortality rate for bowel cancer was in each UK parliamentary constituency in each of the last five years for which figures are available. (242580)
	The table provides the age-standardised mortality rate per 100,000 population, where bowel cancer was the underlying cause of death in (a) parliamentary constituencies in England and Wales, and (b) the UK from 2002 to 2006 (the latest year available). A copy has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Cancer

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what his Department's strategy is for tackling cancer; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what his Department's strategy is for tackling prostate cancer; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: In December 2007, the Government published the Cancer Reform Strategy, which sets out plans over the next five years to further improve and develop cancer services across England for all people with cancer. The strategy includes measures to improve cancer prevention, raise awareness among health professionals and the public of the signs and symptoms of cancer, speed up the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, reduce inequalities, improve the experience of people living with and beyond cancer, ensure care is delivered in the most appropriate settings, and that patients can access effective new treatments quickly. A copy has already been placed in the Library.
	The first annual report for the strategy, 'Cancer Reform Strategy: Maintaining momentum, building for the future', published on 1 December 2008, shows that good progress is being made. A copy has been placed in the Library.
	The strategy and first annual report include action to improve further the outcomes and services for men with prostate cancer, which is being taken forward by the NHS Prostate Cancer Programme, led by the National Cancer Director, Professor Mike Richards.

Cancer: Research

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much was spent on cancer research by the National Health Service in  (a) 2001,  (b) 2002,  (c) 2003,  (d) 2004,  (e) 2005,  (f) 2006 and  (g) 2007;
	(2)  how much was spent on research into treatments for prostate cancer by the National Health Service in  (a) 2001,  (b) 2002,  (c) 2003,  (d) 2004,  (e) 2005,  (f) 2006 and  (g) 2007;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the adequacy of levels of funding dedicated to cancer research by the National Health Service;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of the adequacy of levels of funding provided for research into treatments for prostate cancer by the National Health Service;
	(5)  what plans he has for future levels of funding to the National Health Service for cancer research.

Ann Keen: The Department's cancer research expenditure and the information available in respect of expenditure on prostate cancer research is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   All cancer research  Prostate cancer research 
			 2001-02 113 2.4 
			 2002-03 124 3.3 
			 2003-04 140 4.6 
			 2004-05 150 4.6 
			 2005-06 168 4.91 
			 2006-07 161 4.61 
			 2007-08 159 Not available 
			  Notes: 1. Includes some estimated spend figures. 
		
	
	The figures for prostate cancer relate to national research programmes. They do not include expenditure on prostate cancer research from the research and development allocations made over the period concerned to national health service organisations. That information is not held centrally.
	The Medical Research Council (MRC) is the other main agency through which the Government support biomedical research. The MRC is an independent body funded by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. It funds a large portfolio of cancer research. Since 2001, the major funders of cancer research in the UK, including the Department and the MRC, have worked in partnership to streamline cancer research in the UK for the benefit of cancer patients. This partnership, the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI), has the role of maintaining strategic oversight of cancer research in the UK, identifying gaps and opportunities, and co-ordinating the funding activities of the partner organisations.
	The NHS Prostate Cancer Programme published in September 2000 confirmed a substantial increase in Departmental funding for directly commissioned prostate cancer research. The annual levels of funding subsequently achieved represent a twenty-fold increase since 1999-2000. At the same time, a small number of centres of research excellence were established specifically to address the lack of critical mass in prostate cancer research. The work of these NCRI prostate cancer collaboratives is kept under regular review.
	The usual practice of the Department's National Institute for Health Research and of the MRC is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics: research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. Future levels of expenditure on cancer research will be determined by the success of relevant bids for funding.

Charities

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health to which charities his Department has provided funding of more than £100,000 in each of the last three years; and how much was provided to each.

Phil Hope: Information on all departmental funding to charities is not available in the format requested from central records and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information is available on funding through the Department's two main grant funding schemes for charities: Section 64 General Scheme of Grants and Opportunities for Volunteering, as well as a one-off scheme for funding to hospices. The following table shows grant awards of more than £100,000 per year through these schemes for 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09. This list is compiled from local records and is not exhaustive.
	
		
			  Funding over £100,000 per year through Section 64 and OFV 2006-07 to 2008-09 
			  Organisation name  Type of grant/project name  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Action on Elder Abuse (AEA) Section 64 Core funding — 120,000 120,000 
			 Acorn's Children's Hospice - Selly Oak Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 344,240 305,269 327,994 
			 Acorn's Children's Hospice - Walsall Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 349,590 310,619 333,344 
			 Acorn's Children's Hospice Trust - Worcester Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 335,240 300,000 320,400 
			 Action on Smoking and Health Section 64 Project: "Smoking Kills": the Next Steps 185,400 191,000 — 
			 Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Section 64 Project: Capitalising on smokefree: the way forward — — 142,000 
			 Age Concern England Section 64 Project: Advocacy for Older People 58,003 140,000 217,580 
			 Age Concern England Opportunities for Volunteering grant 971,000 971,000 976,000 
			 Alcohol Concern Section 64: Capital: Purchase of premises 215,000 — — 
			 Alcohol Concern Section 64 Core funding 440,000 400,000 400,000 
			 Arthur Rank House Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 230,840 — 
			 Ashgate Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 171,470 — 
			 Attend Section 64 Project: Accredited Training for Volunteer Programme Managers 150,228 153,400 155,000 
			 Attend Opportunities for Volunteering grant 539,000 540,200 543,000 
			 Barnardos Opportunities for Volunteering grant 194,500 194,500 196,000 
			 Barnsley Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 607,900 — 
			 Bassac Opportunities for Volunteering grant 255,500 261,500 264,000 
			 BIBIC Social Enterprise Investment Fund Grant 0 750,000 0 
			 Blackpool Tiggers/My Town Tiggers Social Enterprise Investment Fund Grant 0 58,700 25,000 
			 Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 155,900 155,900 155,900 
			 Bolton Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 250,000 — 
			 Brian House Children's Hospice Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 185,000 185,000 185,000 
			 British Lung Foundation (BLF) Section 64 Core funding — 166,000 166,000 
			 Bury Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 312,385 — 
			 Butterwick Hospice (Stockton-on-Tees) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 274,730 — 
			 Butterwick Hospice at Bishop Auckland Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 182,585 — 
			 Butterwick House Children's Hospice Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 175,000 175,000 175,000 
			 Cancer Research UK Section 64 Project: SunSmart 150,000 104,000 110,000 
			 Carers UK Section 64 Core funding 195,000 125,000 125,000 
			 Chase Hospice Care for Children Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 378,214 329,243 357,793 
			 Chestnut Tree House Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 206,637 206,637 206,637 
			 Child Migrants Trust Section 64 Project: Family tracing & reunion service and post reunion support — 220,000 250,000 
			 Children's Hospice South West Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 327,000 300,000 315,725 
			 Children's Hospice South West (Charlton Farm) Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 0 257,000 257,000 
			 Churches Together in England Opportunities for Volunteering grant 243,000 243,000 245,000 
			 Claire House Children's Hospice Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 324,614 300,000 314,575 
			 Compton Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 154,125 — 
			 Cope Children's Trust trading as Rainbows Children's Hospice Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 295,298 295,298 295,298 
			 Core Arts Social Enterprise Investment Fund Grant 0 400,000 0 
			 Cotswold Care Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 600,000 — 
			 Crisis Opportunities for Volunteering grant 141,000 141,000 143,000 
			 CSV Opportunities for Volunteering grant 243,000 243,600 246,000 
			 Delivering Connected Care in Hartlepool Social Enterprise Unit Pathfinder Grant 0 152,305 0 
			 Demelza James - East Sussex Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 101,748 101,748 101,748 
			 Demelza James Hospice at Home - Sittingbourne Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 498,956 399,690 457,390 
			 Derian House Children's Hospice Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 162,000 162,000 162,000 
			 Disability Stockport Social Enterprise Investment Fund Grant 0 481,660 0 
			 Disabled Living Foundation (DLF) Section 64 Core funding 100,000 100,000 100,000 
			 Disabled Living Foundation (on behalf of the AT Alliance - DLF; RICAbility; Assist UK; FAST) Section 64 Project: AT Information Network for the Future — — 100,000 
			 Dorothy House Hospice Care Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 165,750 — 
			 Douglas Macmillan Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 250,000 — 
			 Dove House Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 293,200 — 
			 Dr Kershaw's Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 125,000 — 
			 DrugScope Section 64 Core funding 300,000 230,000 230,000 
			 East Anglia's Children's Hospices - (EACH) Ipswich Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 214,512 214,512 214,512 
			 East Anglia's Children's Hospices - (EACH) Milton Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 262,599 262,599 262,599 
			 East Anglia's Children's Hospices - (EACH) Quidenham Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 236,603 236,603 236,603 
			 East Cheshire Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 500,000 — 
			 East Lancashire Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 111,745 — 
			 Eden Valley Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 139,815 — 
			 Ellenor Foundation (Dartford) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 144,370 — 
			 Ellenor Shining Lights Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 140,000 140,000 140,000 
			 Fair Havens Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 174,805 — 
			 Family Planning Association Section 64 Core funding 140,000 130,000 130,000 
			 Francis House Children's Hospice Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 350,000 311,029 333,754 
			 Garden House Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 500,000 — 
			 Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 416,445 — 
			 Grove House Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 160,950 — 
			 Haemophilia Society, The Section 64 Core funding 100,000 — — 
			 Halton Haven Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 193,000 — 
			 Harlington Hospice Association Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 492,700 — 
			 Haven House Foundation Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 200,000 200,000 200,000 
			 Headway - the brain injury association Section 64 Project: Increasing Participation and Access - Headway Link Project 106,020 108,631 55,184 
			 Heart of Kent Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 286,000 — 
			 Helen and Douglas House Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 250,000 250,000 250,000 
			 High Peak Hospicecare (Blythe House) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 182,700 — 
			 Hope House Children's Hospice Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 297,330 297,330 297,330 
			 Hospice in the Weald Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 250,000 — 
			 Hospice of St Francis Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 135,000 — 
			 Hospiscare - Exeter Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 698,145 — 
			 Isabel Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 166,415 — 
			 Isabel Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 182,600 — 
			 John Taylor Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 113,520 — 
			 John Taylor Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 304,000 — 
			 Joseph Weld Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 153,200 — 
			 Katharine House Hospice (Banbury) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 490,000 — 
			 Kirkwood Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 123,550 — 
			 Lindsey Lodge Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 168,765 — 
			 Ling Trust Section 64 Project: The Easy Read Project — — 105,000 
			 Lions Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 276,210 — 
			 Little Haven's Children's Hospice Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 325,149 300,000 314,575 
			 Lorica Learning Disabilities Social Enterprise Unit Pathfinder Grant 0 103,000 0 
			 LOROS Leicestershire and Rutland Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 500,000 — 
			 Marie Curie Cancer Care Programme grant — 500,000 — 
			 Marie Curie Cancer Care Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 10,000,000 4,000,000 
			 Marie Curie Cancer Care Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 110,700 — 
			 Marie Curie Cancer Care Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 250,000 — 
			 Martin House Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 248,000 248,000 248,000 
			 Martlets Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 345,425 — 
			 Meadow House Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 246,835 — 
			 MENCAP Opportunities for Volunteering grant 359,000 359,000 362,000 
			 Mencap (Royal Mencap Society) Section 64 Core funding 110,000 110,000 110,000 
			 Mildmay Mission Hospital Section 64 Core funding 140,000 — — 
			 Mind Opportunities for Volunteering grant 485,000 485,000 488,000 
			 Myton Hamlet Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 310,000 — 
			 NACRO Opportunities for Volunteering grant 374,000 378,000 380,000 
			 National AIDS Trust Section 64 Core funding 120,000 110,000 110,000 
			 National Association of Adult Placement Services Section 64 Project: The development and dissemination of the Homeshare model through local authorities in England 127,410 131,690 — 
			 National Heart Forum Section 64 Core funding 280,000 315,000 315,000 
			 North Devon Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 490,330 — 
			 North London Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 235,675 — 
			 Nottinghamshire Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 253,650 — 
			 Oakhaven Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 250,000 — 
			 Olive Branch NHSD Ltd./CALEB Social Enterprise Investment Fund Grant 0 1,150,000 0 
			 Overgate Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 195,000 — 
			 Pasque Charity, Keech Cottage Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 265,608 265,608 265,608 
			 Pasque Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 500,000 — 
			 Peace Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 216,650 — 
			 Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 262,025 — 
			 Primrose Hospice & Cancer Help Centre Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 141,230 — 
			 Prince of Wales's Foundation for Integrated Health, The Programme grant 300,000 300,000 — 
			 Prince of Wales Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 298,175 — 
			 Prospect Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 340,000 — 
			 RADAR Opportunities for Volunteering grant 301,000 301,600 303,000 
			 Rape Crisis (paid via fund administered by Govt Equalities Office) Programme grant — 300,000 — 
			 Renewing DCP's vision Social Enterprise Unit Pathfinder Grant 0 445,814 0 
			 Richard House Children's Hospice Trust Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 321,527 300,000 312,825 
			 RNIB Opportunities for Volunteering grant 126,400 126,700 128,000 
			 Rowcroft - Torbay & S Devon Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 500,000 — 
			 SCA Healthcare Social Enterprise Unit Pathfinder Grant 0 811,600 0 
			 Scope Opportunities for Volunteering grant 141,000 141,000 143,000 
			 Severn Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 140,450 — 
			 Shakespeare Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 702,335 — 
			 Shaping Our Lives: The National User Network (SOL) Section 64 Project: Developing Diversity in Involvement: Getting beyond 'the usual suspects' 148,654 149,464 — 
			 Shooting Star House Children's Hospice Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 213,237 213,237 213,237 
			 Springhill Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 423,225 — 
			 St. Andrew's Hospice (Grimsby) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 144,670 — 
			 St. Ann's Hospice (Cheadle) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 153,720 — 
			 St. Ann's Hospice (Worsley) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 165,860 — 
			 St. Barnabas Hospice (Lincoln) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 400,000 — 
			 St. Barnabas Hospice (Worthing) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 446,000 — 
			 St. Catherine's Hospice (Preston) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 650,000 — 
			 St. Catherine's Specialist Palliative Centre (Crawley) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 183,560 — 
			 St. Christopher's Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 408,820 — 
			 St. Clare Hospice (Harlow) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 155,100 — 
			 St. Clare's Hospice (Jarrow) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 250,000 — 
			 St. Cuthbert's Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 418,820 — 
			 St.. Elizabeth Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 297,575 — 
			 St. Francis Hospice (Romford) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 601,290 — 
			 St. Gemma's Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 406,600 — 
			 St. Giles Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 500,000 — 
			 St. Helena Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 337,650 — 
			 St. John's Hospice (Lancaster) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 104,800 — 
			 St. John's Hospice (London) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 250,000 — 
			 St. John's Hospice (Wirral) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 358,420 — 
			 St. Joseph's Hospice (London) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 564,400 — 
			 St. Joseph's Hospice Association Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 310,000 — 
			 St. Leonard's Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 250,000 — 
			 St Luke's Hospice (Cheshire) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 110,950 — 
			 St Luke's Hospice (Plymouth) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 379,855 — 
			 St Luke's Hospice (Sheffield) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 723,220 — 
			 St Margaret's Hospice (Yeovil) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 180,000 — 
			 St Margaret's Somerset Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 282,300 — 
			 St Margaret's Somerset Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 250,000 — 
			 St Mary's Hospice (Selly Park) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 300,000 — 
			 St Mary's Hospice (Ulverston) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 202,000 — 
			 St Mary's Hospice (Ulverston) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 300,000 — 
			 St Michael's Hospice (Hastings) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 203,750 — 
			 St Michael's Hospice (Hereford) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 266,740 — 
			 St Michael's Hospice (North Hampshire) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 505,750 — 
			 St Michael's Hospice (North Hampshire) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 130,000 — 
			 St Nicholas' Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 221,900 — 
			 St Oswald's Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 498,455 — 
			 St Peter & St James Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 278,950 — 
			 St Peter's Hospice (Bristol - Brentry) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 120,000 — 
			 St Peter's Hospice (Knowle- Bristol) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 185,000 — 
			 St Raphael's Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 184,340 — 
			 St Rocco's Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 616,650 — 
			 St Teresa's Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 515,000 — 
			 St Wilfrid's Hospice (Chichester) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 424,600 — 
			 St. Andrews Hospice Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 245,000 245,000 245,000 
			 St. Oswalds Hospice Limited Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 195,000 195,000 195,000 
			 Starthere Section 64 Project: Localised Countryside Database 100,000 — — 
			 Step by Step Living Network (SBS) Section 64 Project: Self-Direction Support Brokerage — 100,000 100,000 
			 Sue Ryder Care - Henley Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 383,600 — 
			 Sue Ryder Care — St. John's Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 138,000 — 
			 Sue Ryder Care (Cheltenham) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 400,000 — 
			 Sue Ryder Specialist Palliative Care Centre (Peterborough) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 400,000 — 
			 Tapping House Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 500,000 — 
			 TB Alert Section 64 Project: National support for commissioned TB services and tools for TB Awareness Raising at Local Level — 226,958 43,042 
			 Teesside Hospice Care Foundation Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 380,000 — 
			 Templehead (was Rehab Suffolk) Section 64 Project: Temple-Head- Eastern region project- new core — 100,000 100,000 
			 Terrence Higgins Trust Section 64 Core funding 210,000 220,000 220,000 
			 The Children's Society Opportunities for Volunteering grant 214,000 214,000 215,000 
			 The Donna Louise Trust Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 233,834 233,834 233,834 
			 The Rowans Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 103,410 — 
			 The Rowans Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 130,950 — 
			 Trinity - the Hospice in the Fylde Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 240,000 — 
			 Trinity Hospice (London) Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 500,000 — 
			 UK Council on Deafness Opportunities for Volunteering grant 155,600 157,000 158,000 
			 Volunteering England Section 64 Project: Enhancing volunteering in health and social care policy and practice 92,841 128,298 141,726 
			 Volunteering England Opportunities for Volunteering grant 1,941,000 1,941,000 1,956,000 
			 Wakefield Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 576,915 — 
			 Wessex Children's Hospice Trust - Naomi House Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 330,000 300,000 317,475 
			 Wigan and Leigh Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 205,500 — 
			 Willowbrook Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 604,000 — 
			 Woking Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 277,670 — 
			 Woodlands Hospice Dignity in Care for Older People programme — 500,000 — 
			 Zoe's Place Baby Hospice, Liverpool Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 200,000 175,000 175,000 
			 Zoe's Place Baby Hospice, Middlesbrough Children's Hospice & Children at Home Grant 200,000 195,000 195,000

Community Hospitals

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to build new community hospitals in  (a) Northamptonshire and  (b) England in the next five years.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 15 December 2008
	Under the South Midlands Local Improvement Finance Trust project, Northamptonshire Teaching Primary Care Trust (PCT) is working up proposals for a new Corby community hospital, to replace the Willowbrook health complex. The PCT also has plans, at the early stage of development, for a new community hospital in Isebrook, Wellingborough. Specific dates have not been set, however it is in the financial plan within the next five years.
	In the rest of England we have awarded up to £250 million capital from the community hospitals and services programme to 28 schemes. We are currently giving consideration to the Department's capital programme budgets and we will take into account additional schemes that might receive funding.

Compulsorily Detained Mental Patients

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of people detained under section 136 of the Mental Health Act had been held in police custody in the latest period for which figures are available.

Phil Hope: Comprehensive national information on the number of people detained under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 is not available. Research by the Independent Complaints Commission estimated that a total of 11,517 people were detained in police stations in England and Wales under section 136 in 2005-06. In the same year, statistics published by the Information Centre for Health and Social Care record 5,495 detentions under section 136 in hospitals in England and statistics published by the National Assembly for Wales record a further 263 people detained in mental health facilities in Wales.

Contaminated Blood and Blood Products Inquiry

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of the documents rediscovered by his Department in 2007 relating to the safety of blood products have been  (a) publicly released and  (b) released to the Archer inquiry; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Some 4,500 documents were discovered in unregistered files. With the exception of a small number withheld under exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act, these documents were issued to Lord Archer's inquiry between June-October 2007 and then placed on the Department's website.
	In total 18 documents were withheld entirely, and 17 documents partly withheld, under the following exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act:
	
		
			  Exemption  Document withheld  Part of document withheld  Total documents wholly or partly withheld 
			 Section 38—Health and Safety 1 9 10 
			 Section 40—Personal information 3 6 9 
			 Section 42—Legal professional privilege 8 1 9 
			 Section 43—Commercial interests 6 1 7 
			 Total 18 17 35

Dementia

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people with dementia were recorded on dementia registers by GPs as part of the dementia indicator quality outcome framework.

Phil Hope: For 2007-08 there were 220,246 people with dementia recorded on dementia registers by general practitioners as part of the dementia indicator in the quality outcomes framework.

Dementia

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the number of people with  (a) dementia and  (b) cancer in England; and how much his Department spent on medical research on (i) cancer and (ii) dementia in 2007-08.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department does not currently collect information on the number of people with dementia. However, the Dementia UK report, published in 2007 by the Alzheimer's Society, estimated that there were 683,997 people in the United Kingdom with dementia.
	Information about prevalence of cancer was published for the first time in July 2008 by the National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN). This shows that there are currently approximately 1.6 million people in England who have been diagnosed with cancer, excluding non-melanoma skin cancer.
	The information requested in respect of research expenditure is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  2007-08 Expenditure 
			  £ million 
			   Department  Medical Research Council 
			 Cancer research 158.7 89.5 
			 Dementia research 22.21 10.22 
			  Notes: 1. National health service support for degenerative neurological disorder research and comparable expenditure from National Institute for Health Research funding streams (including the cost of the dementias and neurodegenerative diseases research network). 2. Includes spend on some projects not previously included in annual totals.

Diabetes: Children

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking to assist those with childhood diabetes to cope with the condition.

Ann Keen: Our document "Making Every Young Person with Diabetes Matter", published in April 2007, drew attention to differences in the management of diabetes in children and young people—which is complex and significantly different from adult care. A copy of the document has already been placed in the Library.
	It stated that all children and young people with diabetes should have access to a Children and Young Person Specialist Diabetes (CYPSD) team with appropriate training and competencies; routine care, continuing care and annual assessment; and access to routine and integrated psychological support.
	A Children and Young People Diabetes Implementation Support Group has been set up to take forward work on the report's recommendations. The group is chaired by the National Clinical Director for Children, Dr Sheila Shribman, and includes representation from Diabetes UK, Royal Colleges, young people with diabetes, parents and representatives from organisations with an interest in this area, including the Healthcare Commission.

Diabetes: Children

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many children of school age have been diagnosed with diabetes;
	(2)  what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Children, Schools and Families on improving the provision of healthcare in schools for children with diabetes.

Ann Keen: Data for the number of children of school age diagnosed with diabetes are not available. However, estimates suggest there are an estimated 20,000 children with diabetes in England (the vast majority type 1 diabetes), and some experts suggest that there may be up to 1,000 children with type 2 diabetes in England.
	In 2005, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), in close liaison with the Department, issued guidance on Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings. This guidance explains the roles and responsibilities of employers, parents and carers, governing bodies, head teachers, teachers and other staff, and of local health services. This includes the effective management of long term conditions, like diabetes, while attending school.
	We shall, of course, work closely with DCSF on any future revision of the guidance.

Drugs: Misuse

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of all drug misuse deaths in England occurred in London in the latest period for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated December 2008:
	As National Statistician. I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what proportion of all drug misuse deaths in England occurred in London in the latest period for which figures arc available. (240588)
	The proportion of all deaths in England that were to residents of London government office region(1), for which the underlying cause was drug poisoning(2) where any drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was mentioned on the death certificate, was 14 per cent in 2007(3) (the latest year available).
	(1) Based on boundaries as of 2008.
	(2) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Deaths were included where the underlying cause was due to drug poisoning (corresponding ICD-10 codes are shown in the following table) and where a drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was mentioned on the death certificate.
	(3) Figures are for deaths registered in 2007.
	
		
			  ICD-10  Description 
			 F11-F16, F18-F19 Mental and behavioural disorders due to drug use (excluding alcohol and tobacco) 
			 X40-X44 Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
			 X60-X64 Intentional self-poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
			 X85 Assault by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
			 Y10-Y14 Poisoning by drugs medicaments and biological substances, undetermined intent

Drugs: Prisons

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many prisons the Integrated Drug Treatment System has been introduced.

Phil Hope: In November 2008, 50 of the 53 first and second waves of Integrated Drug Treatment System (IDTS) prisons were assessed as having an operational service providing all key elements of IDTS clinical services.
	Of the 53 first and second waves of IDTS prisons 29 have received additional National Offender Management Service funding for enhanced Counselling, Assessment, Referral, Advice, Throughcare service (CARATs) resources and are considered 'fully funded' sites. All 29 of these prisons are providing an enhanced CARAT service.
	A further 38 sites ('the third wave') have received Departmental funding in 2008-09 to implement clinical elements of IDTS.

Euthanasia

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times his Department has consulted  (a) formally and  (b) informally on end-of-life decision-making since June 2008; which stakeholders have made representations to his Department on such matters during this period; if he will place in the Library a copy of each such representation; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has conducted no consultation on end of life decision making since June 2008 and has had 124 letters and emails from professionals, the public and organisations since June 2008 on end-of- life issues expressing a wide range of views and opinions.

Exercise: Health Education

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the "Let's Get Moving" resource pack has been provided to all GP surgeries in England.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has developed a resource pack called 'Let's Get Moving: Your complete guide to becoming more active' to support the primary care physical activity care pathway intervention (PACP), which aims to get sedentary people more active. The "Let's Get Moving" resource has recently undergone intensive user testing with target groups and is being used in a London pilot of the PACP.
	Primary care trusts throughout England will be encouraged to deliver the PACP from spring 2009, at which stage copies of the resource will be made available to participating general practitioner surgeries along with other measures to support the aims of the intervention.

Health Hazards: Genetically Modified Organisms

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports he has received of research into the potential harmful effects associated with genetically modified maize and soya varieties approved for food and feeds use in the EU; and if he will support a tightening of the regulatory and approvals regime for such varieties.

Dawn Primarolo: New research is regularly published in the field of genetically modified organisms and we are aware of a number of recent studies concerning authorised genetically modified maize and soya varieties which could have a bearing on the safety of these products. These reports will be scrutinised by the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes, and or by the European Food Safety Authority, in order to assess their significance for the safe use of these genetically modified (GM) materials in food and feed.
	The safety of new GM materials is rigorously assessed by the European Food Safety Authority before they are cleared for use in food or feed and the current system provides adequate assurances that authorised materials are as safe as their conventional counterparts.

Health Hazards: Genetically Modified Organisms

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide resources for reporting bodies and advising committees on genetically-modified organisms to sponsor independent feeding trials to establish the safety or otherwise of genetically modified (GM) food and feed varieties prior to the authorisation process; and if he will support measures to oblige GM seed growers to provide reference materials for such trials.

Dawn Primarolo: It is the responsibility of the applicants to provide all the information that is needed to support the assessment of their products. It would not be appropriate for public funds to be spent on research into individual genetically modified crops in order to allow the pre-market risk assessment to proceed.

Health Visitors: Children

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many home visits on average a child considered to be at  (a) low risk and  (b) high risk received from an allocated health visitor in the first two years following assessment in each region in each year between 1997 and 3 August 2007; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many home visits on average a child considered to be at  (a) low risk and  (b) high risk received from an allocated health visitor in the first two years following assessment in each region between 9 September 2008 and the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what the average number of cases allocated to health visitors was in each region between 9 September 2008 and the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what the average number of cases allocated to health visitors in each region was in each year between 1997 and 3 August 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not collected centrally. While the updated Child Health Promotion Programme, launched on 17 March 2008, identifies health visitors as the lead practitioners in promoting the health of children below the age of five, it is for local national health service and local authority commissioners to commission children's services according to local needs.

Heroin: Prescriptions

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many drug addicts are participating in the Maudsley heroin prescribing pilot; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the pilot per addict per year;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust's pilot on prescribing and injecting heroin.

Dawn Primarolo: An evaluation of the effectiveness of these pilots will be conducted in 2009, when they are completed. The Government will use evidence from these pilots to inform further consideration of the role that prescribed injectable opiates (heroin and methadone) has in the wider portfolio of treatment options available for drug misusers.
	Information and analysis of costs and the numbers involved in the pilots will be available in 2009, after the pilots have been completed and information such as that requested by the hon. Member will be available then.

Hospitals: Finance

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the individual market forces factors for each hospital trust in England are.

Ben Bradshaw: For activity within the scope of Payment by Results, trusts receive the national tariff adjusted by the market forces factor (MFF) payment index.
	A copy of the revised MFF index to be applied for the payment of the Payment by Results national tariff in 2009-10 has been placed in the Library. This table lists the MFF payment index values for NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts in England.
	The MFF payment index to be applied in 2009-10 is available on the Department's website, as part of the 2009-10 PbR 'road test' package (the table is at Annex F of the draft Guidance) and has also been placed in the Library;
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_091486
	The MFF index applied for 2008-09 Payment by Results activity has been placed in the Library, and is available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_ 081096

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which  (a) statutory instruments,  (b) departmental circulars and  (c) other documents he plans to issue in the next 12 months consequential on the provisions of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department will be producing three sets of regulations to implement the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 ("the 2008 Act") in the next 12 months. These are:
	regulations relating to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (HFEA) appeals committee;
	regulations setting out the procedure for release of information to researchers from the HFEA register of patient information; and
	regulations setting out the circumstances in which the storage period of embryos and gametes can be extended.
	The HFEA will also be making regulations setting out the procedures to be followed when the HFEA is minded to refuse, revoke or vary a licence.
	In addition, there will be several sets of transitional and commencement orders issued to implement the provisions in the 2008 Act.
	There are no plans to issue any departmental circulars.
	The Department will be consulting on the regulations to implement the 2008 Act, including the HFEA regulations, in the next 12 months. It is planned that the consultation document will be published in January 2009.
	Separately to that, the Department will also be consulting on regulations to update the parental order regulations later in the year. It is planned that a consultation paper will be published to support this in the summer.

Incontinence: Medical Equipment

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish the Government's response to the latest consultation on Part IX of the Drug Tariff.

Phil Hope: The outcome of the last consultation on the arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the provision of stoma and urology appliances—and related services—in primary care will be published early in the new year.

Influenza: Vaccination

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking to promote availability of the influenza vaccination.

Dawn Primarolo: In October and November 2008 the Department ran its annual autumn communications campaign targeting those aged 65 and over and those people under 65 who are in a clinical risk group. The campaign consisted of television, radio, online and pharmacy bag advertising, and public relations activity. Leaflets and posters have been made freely available to the national health service to use in their own local promotional activities. The objectives of the campaign were to raise awareness of the need for the vaccination among the target audiences, and to encourage them to contact their general practitioner.

Lung Diseases

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps is his Department is taking to increase  (a) awareness and  (b) the rate of diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among people who are unaware they have the disease.

Ann Keen: The Department is currently developing a national strategy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). One of the specific aims of the strategy will be to increase awareness of good lung health among the general population, and COPD for those at risk. The strategy will also aim to increase the accurate diagnosis of COPD, especially for those at the milder stage of the disease. We aim to publish the strategy in 2008.

Lung Diseases: Health Services

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of  (a) the adequacy of palliative care and  (b) access to pulmonary rehabilitation for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Ann Keen: According to a recent Royal College of Physicians(1) report, based on UK audit data, approximately 50 per cent. of acute units have a formal referral pathway to palliative medicine for end of life care for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and 66 per cent. are planning to develop (or further develop) palliative care services in the future.
	For pulmonary rehabilitation approximately 70 per cent. of primary care organisations state that they provide community based pulmonary rehabilitation. In secondary care approximately 90 per cent. of acute units provide formal pulmonary rehabilitation programmes.
	An End of Life Care Strategy was published in July and its aim is to improve care for people approaching end of life whatever their diagnosis or condition. A copy has already been placed in the Library. The National Strategy for COPD, which will be published early next year, will also aim to improve access to palliative and end of life care for people with COPD. It will also set clear standards for the provision of pulmonary rehabilitation, whatever the setting.
	(1) Report of The National Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Audit 2008, UK Primary Care Organisations: Resources and Organisation of Care: Royal College of Physicians of London, British Thoracic Society and British Lung Foundation November 2008

Mental Health Services: Children

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent progress has been made on review of child and adolescent mental health services; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent steps he has taken to improve the emotional health and well-being of children.

Phil Hope: The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) review final report, 'Children and Young People in Mind', was published on 18 November 2008. The report makes 20 recommendations that will enable a number of important changes to take place over the next three to five years, to improve children and young people's mental health and psychological well-being.
	The Government have demonstrated their commitment to implementing change by the immediate implementation of a number of these recommendations. In particular:
	the establishment of a National Advisory Council, which, in line with the review's recommendations, will act as a champion for children's psychological well-being and mental health issues, advise Government on implementing the recommendations that have been set out in the report and hold Government to account on delivery; and
	the development of a National Support Programme, building on the work already being delivered by the National CAMHS Support Service and others to facilitate and support sustainable cultural change at national, regional and local levels. The National Support Programme will co-ordinate these organisations to deliver the same messages on mental health to all of the services supporting children and young people and give everyone working in this area the support they need to achieve the aims of the CAMHS review.
	A copy of the review's final report has already been placed in the Library and is also available at
	www.dcsf.gov.uk/CAMHSreview.

Mental Health Services: Pharmacy

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to assist pharmacies to provide advice to patients in respect of mental health matters.

Phil Hope: As indicated in the White Paper 'Pharmacy in England: Building on strengths—delivering the future' educational resources are being developed to support community pharmacies in helping people on mental health matters. These resources are likely to be available by the end of 2009.

Mental Health Services: Prisons

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Prison Service staff have received mental health awareness training.

Phil Hope: Between 2006 and 2008, approximately 12,000 front line prison staff received mental health awareness training. The Department no longer collects these figures centrally.

Mental Health Services: Prisons

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken by his Department to improve the health of offenders since the publication of Improving Health, Supporting Justice: A Strategy for Improving Health and Social Care Services for People Subject to the Criminal Justice System.

Phil Hope: The consultation on the strategy was published on 27 November 2007, and the consultation period finished on 4 March. Responses have been analysed and a written analysis of the consultation responses was published in August 2008. The final strategy will be published in spring 2009 following Lord Bradley's report to Parliament.

Mental Health Services: Prisons

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent estimate is of the number of prisoners suffering from serious mental illness; how many of those prisoners are women; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: No recent assessment has been made. Although there are no officially recognised data on prisoners with severe mental illness, we are aware that there are a number of people in custody suffering from serious mental illness. In 1997, the Office for National Statistics survey indicated that as many as 58 per cent. of male and 75 per cent. of female remand prisoners, and 39 per cent. of male and 62 per cent. of female sentenced prisoners met criteria for a diagnosis of anxiety and/or depression. Rates of psychotic illness were also higher than in the general population.
	Accurate identification of people needing mental health treatment and care is important at all stages in the care and offender pathway. This is why all prisoners are screened at reception for risks of mental ill health and previous psychiatric treatment. The Offender Assessment System (OASys) helps to ensure that any person judged to be at risk and/or of needing mental health treatment and care can be identified and referred, where appropriate, to the Mental Health In-Reach Teams.

Mental Health Services: Prisons

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prisoners suffering from severe psychiatric disorders have been diverted from prison to secure psychiatric settings in each year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: People who are too mentally ill to remain in prison are transferred to NHS Secure Services. In 2007, 28 per cent. more prisoners, with mental illness too severe for prison, were transferred to hospital than in 2002—up to 926 from 723.
	There has been a significant decrease in the number of people waiting over 12 weeks for a transfer. In the quarter ending June 2007, 43 prisoners were waiting, down from 62 in the same quarter in 2005. At the end of December 2007 there were 40 people waiting for a bed for more than 12 weeks. At the end of March 2008 there were only 24 people waiting.
	People eligible to be transferred should be moved out of prison as quickly as possible. We have been working to reduce waiting times for beds and we have introduced tighter monitoring to identify prisoners waiting an unacceptably long period.

The Mentally Ill

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent progress has been made in the implementation of the recommendations made in the Social Exclusion Unit's report, Mental Health and Social Exclusion, at  (a) regional and  (b) local level.

Phil Hope: The National Social Inclusion programme (NSIP) was initially established to coordinate the delivery of the Social Exclusion Unit's (SEU) report, "Mental Health and Social Exclusion" and its 27-action points through a cross government national team with far-reaching national and regional partnerships to support its work.
	NSIP has configured its work plan in line with national and regional priorities and previous progress made by them is detailed in their first, second and third annual reports, of 2005, 2006 and 2007 respectively, which are available from NSIP's website:
	http://www.socialinclusion.org.uk/home/index.php.
	However, more recently, my right hon. Friend Alan Johnson launched the training package "Open to All" at the Wallace Collection which has been developed to help museums and galleries to be more inclusive for people with mental health problems through arts participation, access to galleries and museums, and employment and volunteering opportunities in the sector.
	Further progress on the implementation of the recommendations in 2008 includes, the publication of "Connect and Include—an exploratory study of community development and mental health", which includes a brief review of literature relating to relevant policy and practice, a survey and interviews including community development practitioners, people with experience of mental health problems, and staff from mental health services.
	NSIP has also published the review "From segregation to inclusion: Where are we now?" which identifies the modernisation progress to date and highlights common issues, approaches to address them and examples of good practice, and revised the "Really Useful Book of Learning and Earning", 80,000 copies of which have been distributed to care services, Jobcentre Plus, employment programme learning and training providers.
	The implementation of the SEU report actions continues through the Community Participation work stream—which concentrates on developing the local level impact of the social inclusion agenda. This work stream contains the areas housing, arts, criminal justice, families and young people, day services and direct payments.

The Mentally Ill

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent assessment is of the effectiveness of programmes designed to increase the uptake of direct payments by people with mental health problems; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: Access to direct payments should be available to all people eligible to receive them. There is evidence that the take up of direct payments is also sometimes hindered by a lack of adequate support or information, or unnecessarily complicated processes. Therefore the Department has developed the direct payments uptake project to support local councils and their partners.
	According to Commission for Social Care Inspection figures, in March 2006, there were 1,477 people with mental health issues (aged 18-64) receiving direct payments. This rose to 2,085 people in March 2007.

The Mentally Ill

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which local authority areas individual budgets for mental health service users have been piloted.

Phil Hope: The independent individual budget evaluation was designed to examine outcomes for specific groups of service users which include people with mental health problems. 13 local authorities took part in these pilots and of these, five local authorities included mental health service users in their pilots: Barnsley, Coventry, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Oldham, which was exclusively with mental health service users.
	The evaluation of the individual budgets pilots found that mental health service users receiving individual budgets reported significantly higher quality of life than those receiving traditional services. A number of these service users had not found the services available under conventional arrangements to their liking, and saw an individual budget as an opportunity to access more appropriate support. Although not significant statistically, the data also suggest some tendency for psychological well-being to be better for those mental health service users receiving an individual budget.

Mentally Ill: Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department has allocated to SHiFT in each year to 2011.

Phil Hope: SHIFT is expected to receive around £600,000 for the remaining two years of the programme and has so far received the following funding:
	
		
			   Funding (£) 
			 2004-05 1,100,000 
			 2005-06 873,000 
			 2006-07 980,000 
			 2007-08 600,000 
			 2008-09 600,000

Mentally Ill: Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent progress has been made by SHiFT in its work to tackle discrimination in  (a) employment and  (b) the media against people with mental health problems.

Phil Hope: SHIFT was originally launched in 2004 by National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE) as a five-year programme but has now been extended to run until 2011 to work alongside "Time to Change", a new £18 million charity sector-led anti-stigma and well-being social marketing campaign. SHIFT's work complements that of "Time to Change" by focusing on two key audiences—employers and the media.
	The work in employment is aimed at improving the recruitment and retention of people with mental health problems. For example, SHIFT has distributed to public and private sector employers more than 30,000 copies of the SHIFT Line Managers Resource, giving guidance to managers on handling mental health problems in the workplace.
	An independent expert panel, the SHIFT review panel, has been set up to review guidance on mental health and employment and help guide employers through the wealth of existing advice. A website signposts employers to the most appropriate resource. The panel, hosted by the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, includes experts from academia, business and the public sector.
	The work with the media is aimed at improving media coverage of mental health and in particular challenging the link made between severe mental illness and violence.
	Guidance on best practice for reporting mental health has been distributed to more than 10,000 journalists. It focuses on covering violence and suicide.
	Training on reporting mental illness and suicide is being delivered to postgraduate students at journalism training colleges and the SHIFT Speakers Bureau, a bank of people willing to talk about their real life experiences of mental illness, has become an essential resource for journalists and a way of ensuring that people's voices are heard.

National Treatment Agency

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the role and purpose is of the National Treatment Agency;
	(2)  how many staff were employed at the National Treatment Agency  (a) when it was first launched and  (b) on the latest date for which figures are available;
	(3)  what the budget was for the National Treatment Agency in  (a) its first year of operation and  (b) 2007-08.

Dawn Primarolo: The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) is a special health authority within the NHS, established by Government in 2001 to improve the availability, capacity and effectiveness of treatment for drug misuse in England.
	The NTA has achieved significant improvements in access to services and is now focusing on improving the quality of treatment in order to maximise the benefit to individuals, families and communities. The NTA also plays an important role in advice and guidance on the quality of and, since April 2008, monitoring access to alcohol treatment.
	In 2001-02, the NTA's first year of operation, it received a £2.1 million core grant in aid budget (from the Department) and employed an average number of 27(1) staff.
	In 2007-08, the NTA received a £11.59 million core grant in aid budget (from the Department) and employed an average of 173 staff.
	(1) Note that although the NTA was established in April 2001, staff began to be appointed only from July 2001 onwards.

Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: ICT

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is on schedule to go live with its electronic patient management and care record system.

Ben Bradshaw: We understand that Newcastle upon Tyne hospitals NHS foundation trust has no reason to believe that it will not go live with its new patient management and care record system next year as planned. The trust is working closely with its commercial partner, and in collaboration with NHS Connecting for Health, to ensure that all project timescales are met.

NHS Foundation Trusts

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what rights  (a) foundation trust members and  (b) members of the public have to attend meetings of (i) boards of directors and (ii) boards of governors of their local foundation trust.

Ben Bradshaw: The National Health Service Act 2006 requires that the constitution of a national health service foundation trust must provide for meetings of the board of governors to be to open to the public. There is no equivalent provision for meetings of the board of directors. This would be a matter for each trust. Monitor (the statutory name of which is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts) has however issued a Code of Governance for National Health Service foundation trusts which advises directors to follow a policy of openness and transparency in their proceedings and decision making, unless this conflicts with a need to protect the wider interests of the public or the trust, including commercial-in-confidence matters.

NHS: ICT

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on when a complete version of Lorenzo Release 2 will undergo tests in the UK.

Ben Bradshaw: We anticipate that the main build of Lorenzo release 2.0, containing care management functionality, will be available for ongoing testing in the United Kingdom by the end of December 2008.

NHS: ICT

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many users of the Lorenzo system there are at the  (a) Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust,  (b) Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and  (c) South Birmingham Primary Care Trust; and what the average number of concurrent users of the Lorenzo product was at each of those trusts in the last month for which figures are available.

Ben Bradshaw: At Morecambe Bay hospitals NHS trust there is currently limited clinical usage in a single ward, with 10 system users. At South Birmingham primary care trust, the system is being used by the podiatry team, involving 14 users. Bradford teaching hospitals NHS foundation are preparing to go live in the new year and there are therefore no live system users at present.
	Information on the number of concurrent users is not held centrally.

NHS: ICT

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what dates  (a) Department of Health officials received a demonstration of the Lorenzo software product and  (b) local service provider contracts were signed under the National Programme for IT in the NHS for the Lorenzo software product; and what the planned delivery date for the Lorenzo software product was when those contracts were signed.

Ben Bradshaw: Lorenzo release 1.0 and components of release 2.0 were first demonstrated to NHS Connecting for Health officials in India during 2007, followed by a number of demonstrations to NHS clinicians, officials and to some Public Accounts Committee members in the UK in 2008. More general demonstrations of the software have been provided since September 2008 to national health service staff.
	The original relevant local service provider contracts signed in 2003 did not refer specifically to the Lorenzo product by name but to an integrated care service. A later contract reset on 8 January 2007 covered a two-release strategy for Lorenzo with the following release key milestones:
	Lorenzo release 3.5—30 June 2008; and
	Lorenzo release 4.0—30 June 2009.
	A four-release strategy has now been adopted.

NHS: Repairs and Maintenance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the size of the  (a) high risk,  (b) significant risk,  (c) moderate risk and  (d) low risk maintenance backlog was in each NHS trust in England in each year since 1997-98;
	(2)  what  (a) plans and  (b) targets his Department has on reducing the maintenance backlog in the NHS; and how much is planned to be spent on reducing the backlog in the next three years.

Ben Bradshaw: The information is not available in the format requested.
	Levels of backlog maintenance categorised by risk were not collected prior to 2004-05. The information relating to 2004-05 onwards has been placed in the Library.
	The Department collects data on backlog maintenance annually from national health service trusts through its estates return information collection (ERIC). These data have not been amended centrally and therefore their accuracy is the responsibility of the contributing NHS organisations.
	NHS organisations are locally responsible for the provision and maintenance of their facilities. This includes planning and investment to reduce backlog maintenance.

Obesity

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished consultant episodes there were for  (a) paediatric and  (b) adolescent obesity treatment in (i) England and (ii) each strategic health authority in each year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: Data are available between 1997-98 and 2006-07. This information has been placed in the Library.

Obesity

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many surgical procedures to treat obesity were carried out on the NHS in  (a) England,  (b) each region and  (c) each strategic health authority area in each year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: Data on finished consultant episodes (FCEs) with a primary diagnosis of obesity as well as a main procedure of bariatric surgery are provided in the following table. Data are available between 1997-98 to 2006-07.
	
		
			  Count of FCEs with a primary diagnosis of obesity* and a main procedure of bariatric surgery** broken down by strategic health authority of residence for 1997-98 to 2006-07 
			  Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			   Strategic health authority  2006-07  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04  2002-03  2001-02  2000-01  1999-2000  1998-99  1997-98 
			  England Total 1,890 998 711 451 334 279 250 193 187 143 
			 
			 Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority — 39 24 12 9 6 7 2 3 6 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic Health Authority — 28 17 9 6 8 7 2 3 2 
			 Q03 Essex Strategic Health Authority — 11 13 7 5 3 5 4 0 1 
			 Q04 North West London Strategic Health Authority — 68 44 11 13 5 5 3 1 1 
			 Q05 North Central London Strategic Health Authority — 29 15 11 5 2 3 5 0 2 
			 Q06 North East London Strategic Health Authority — 24 9 4 3 1 2 1 1 0 
			 Q07 South East London Strategic Health Authority — 30 23 18 11 13 18 11 4 3 
			 Q08 South West London Strategic Health Authority — 33 20 11 11 5 7 7 2 3 
			 Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic Health Authority — 43 28 19 11 9 8 8 9 7 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley Strategic Health Authority — 17 13 5 5 7 6 3 4 2 
			 Q11 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Strategic Health Authority — 135 60 37 20 19 8 15 12 4 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority — 57 51 62 40 38 56 42 30 30 
			 Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority — 11 18 17 11 14 9 14 7 7 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority — 20 21 15 9 4 9 5 7 6 
			 Q15 Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority — 8 33 32 41 36 24 7 17 8 
			 Q16 Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority — 12 9 6 9 6 7 4 0 0 
			 Q17 Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority — 2 4 3 0 1 0 3 4 2 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway Strategic Health Authority — 12 17 5 5 9 4 3 2 2 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority — 33 20 14 11 13 9 6 5 0 
			 Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority — 57 19 12 1 3 0 3 3 4 
			 Q21 South West Peninsula Strategic Health Authority — 33 22 12 12 24 7 12 6 5 
			 Q22 Dorset and Somerset Strategic Health Authority — 31 13 4 3 1 4 2 1 0 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority — 107 88 59 40 23 18 15 17 23 
			 Q24 Trent Strategic Health Authority — 82 41 19 21 14 14 5 7 10 
			 Q25 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Strategic Health Authority — 19 33 11 8 2 4 0 4 3 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic Health Authority — 23 21 18 11 3 3 3 11 3 
			 Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country Strategic Health Authority — 25 20 12 10 7 3 6 25 7 
			 Q28 West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority — 8 15 6 3 2 3 2 2 2 
			 Q30 North East Strategic Health Authority 106 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q31 North West Strategic Health Authority 76 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q32 Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority 435 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q33 East Midlands Strategic Health Authority 205 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q34 West Midlands Strategic Health Authority 240 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority 86 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 292 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q37 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority 138 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q38 South Central Strategic Health Authority 110 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q39 South West Strategic Health Authority 202 — — — — — — — — — 
			 
			 U England—not otherwise specified 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 
			 
			  Other, foreign and unknown Strategic Health Authorities 12 6 21 29 12 10 8 6 10 7 
			  Notes:  Finished Consultant Episode (FCE) 1. A FCE is defined as a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which the FCE finishes. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year.  *Primary diagnosis 2. The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital. E66—Obesity.  Number of episodes in which the patient had a (named) primary diagnosis 3. These figures represent the number of episodes where the diagnosis was recorded in the primary diagnosis field in a HES record.  **Main procedure 4. The main procedure is the first recorded procedure or intervention in the HES data set and is usually the most resource intensive procedure or intervention performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main procedure when looking at admission details, e.g. time waited, but a more complete count of episodes with a particular procedure is obtained by looking at the main and the secondary procedure.  Data Quality 5. HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. Data is also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  Assessing growth through time 6. HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. During the years that these records have been collected by the NHS there have been ongoing improvements in quality and coverage. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Some of the increase in figures for later years (particularly 2006-07 onwards) may be due to the improvement in the coverage of independent sector activity. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example, a number of procedures may now be undertaken in out-patient settings and may no longer be accounted for in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time.  Ungrossed Data 7. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in the data, i.e. the data are ungrossed.  Primary Care Trust (PCT)/Strategic Health Authority (SHA) data quality 8. PCT and SHA data was added to historic data years in the HES database using 2002-03 boundaries, as a one-off exercise in 2004. The quality of the data on PCT of treatment and SHA of treatment is poor in 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99, with over a third of all finished episodes having missing values in these years. Data quality of PCT of GP practice and SHA of GP practice in 1997-98 and 1998-99 is also poor, with a high proportion missing values where practices changed or ceased to exist. There is less change in completeness of the residence-based fields over time, where the majority of unknown values are due to missing postcodes on birth episodes. Users of time series analysis including these years need to be aware of these issues in their interpretation of the data.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care 
		
	
	The following information needs to be taken into account when interpreting these data.
	In 2006-07 there was a SHA configuration change, where 28 SHAs merged into 10. Data for 2006-07 are based on the new configuration.
	There is a large increase in episodes between 2005-06 and 2006-07. The Information Centre have studied this and believe it to be due to the change/increase in OPCS-4 coding classifications. In previous years procedures may have been coded under an 'unknown' or 'other' code and therefore would not have been included in the count. However, some extra codes have been introduced in OPCS-4.3 these procedures would now be coded under their named field and be included within the count.
	The number of FCEs does not represent the number of patients as a patient may have more than one episode within a year.
	The NHS Information Centre have broken down information by SHA only.

Prescriptions

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what guidance is provided to healthcare professionals to prevent prescribing and dispensing errors in relation to immunosuppressant therapies;
	(2)  how many  (a) prescribing and  (b) dispensing errors of immunosuppressant therapies have been recorded in each of the last five years; if he will place in the Library a copy of the records; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: There were 1,015 patient safety incidents relating to prescription, preparation and administration of immunosuppressant medication were submitted to the National Patient Safety Agency's (NPSA) Reporting and Learning System (RLS) between November 2003 and the beginning of December 2008. The search of RLS was structured to include a number of named immunosuppressant medicines.
	There were 786 of the incidents submitted and were reported to have resulted in no harm, 180 in low harm, 48 in moderate harm and one in severe harm. The following table provides a breakdown of the reported category of error:
	
		
			  Category of error  Number of reported errors 
			 Prescribing 253 
			 Preparation of medicines in all locations/dispensing in a pharmacy 242 
			 Administration/supply of a medicine from a clinical area 520 
			 Total 1,015 
			  Note:  The following immunosuppressant medicines were included within the incident report: Advagraf, Alemtuzumab, Azathiaprine, Basiliximab, Cellcept, Ciclosporin, Daclizumab, Imuran, Mabcampath, Mabthera, Mycophenolate, Myfortic, Neoral, Prograf, Rapamune, Rituximab, Sandimmun, Simulect, Sirolimus, Tacrolimus, Zenapax.

Prostate Cancer

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prostate cancer patients there were whose cancer went into remission following National Health Service treatment in  (a) 2001,  (b) 2002,  (c) 2003,  (d) 2004,  (e) 2005,  (f) 2006 and  (g) 2007.

Ann Keen: This information is not available centrally. However, latest figures published by the Office for National Statistics on 10 December 2008 show that 78 per cent. of men (aged 15-99) diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2000-04 survived five years.

Prostate Cancer

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the treatments available to prostate cancer patients on the National Health Service.

Ann Keen: In February 2008, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published a clinical guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. This guideline sets out recommendations on a number of treatment options for prostate cancer.
	The guideline can be found on the NICE website at:
	www.nice.org.uk/Guidance/CG58.

Rampton Hospital

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the patient capacity of the National High Secure Healthcare Service for Women at Rampton Hospital is; and how many patients were placed there on the latest date for which figures are available.

Phil Hope: The current capacity for the National High Secure Service for Women at Rampton Hospital is 50. There were 45 patients in the service on 4 December 2008.

Surrey and Borders NHS Foundation Trust

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will initiate an investigation into Surrey and Borders NHS Foundation Trust's sale of public land and property in Epsom.

Ben Bradshaw: National health service foundation trusts have the freedom to sell land and buildings subject to provisions in legislation. Therefore, this is a matter for Surrey and Borders NHS Foundation Trust. We have written to Graham Cawsey, Chair of the organisation, informing him of the hon. Member's inquiry. He will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library. Any concerns thereafter may also be directed to the chair of Monitor (the statutory name of which is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts).

Tuberculosis

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to reduce rates of tuberculosis amongst  (a) the homeless,  (b) problem drug users and  (c) prisoners in (i) London and (ii) outside London; and what steps he intends to take over the next three years.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department launched a national tuberculosis (TB) toolkit in June 2007 to support commissioning of TB services best suited to local needs, and recommended that TB services follow the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on tuberculosis. The NICE guidelines make specific recommendations about active screening for TB among homeless people and prisoners and to ensure that people working with these groups have high awareness of the risk and symptoms of TB.
	London TB services are funded by the Department to run a pilot study using a mobile X-ray unit (MXU) to screen homeless hostels and prisons. Evaluation of the pilot showed the MXU to be an effective case-finding tool among these populations. In addition, since October 2007, the Department has funded Find & Treat, a small multidisciplinary team of tuberculosis nurse specialists, social and outreach workers, to provide practical support and advice to TB services across London for around 300 patients with complex and challenging needs. Support includes: locating and re-engaging patients who have been lost to follow-up care; providing links between prison health and the MXU to NHS tuberculosis services; organising case conferences and directly observed therapy (DOT) partnerships and engaging relevant allied support services in the community to help patients complete treatment.
	The Health Protection Agency (HPA) runs the National Knowledge Service for TB, which provides information resources including cartoon leaflets for prisoners and material targeted at staff working with the homeless, prisoners and problem drug users. Evaluation shows that these have been well received.
	The HPA collects data nationally to monitor rates of tuberculosis among the homeless, prisoners and problem drug users, because it recognises the high rates of disease in these populations.
	The HPA is undertaking a programme of research, in collaboration with University College London and the Royal Free NHS Trust, to provide the evidence base for interventions to control TB among the homeless, prisoners and problem drug users.
	All these initiatives will inform future policy on tackling TB in these groups.

Unborn Children

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has  (a) undertaken and  (b) evaluated on the (i) earliest stage in its development at which an unborn child can experience pain, (ii) the earliest gestational age at which an unborn child may be born alive, (iii) the number of occasions on which an unborn baby has been diagnosed as being disabled and has subsequently been born without disability and (iv) the suicide rate among women who have had an abortion in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has commissioned the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologist's to review its 1997 report on foetal awareness which includes the consideration of all relevant evidence and new research in the area of foetal awareness including foetal pain.
	The Department considered all of the scientific and medical evidence on foetal viability submitted to the Science and Technology Committee in their review of scientific developments since the Abortion Act 1967.
	The Department also provides funding to national health service organisations to meet the service support costs associated with Medical Research Council (MRC) funded research. The MRC has funded, and continues to fund, studies on embryonic and foetal awareness and foetal development.
	We do not collect data on the number of babies diagnosed as being disabled which are subsequently born without disability.
	Three women have committed suicide following a termination of pregnancy in the last nine years but there are insufficient details to establish if the termination was the cause of the suicide.

Unborn Children

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what his Department's policy is on  (a) abortion,  (b) assisted suicide and  (c) embryonic stem cell research; which organisations and individuals he has consulted on each policy during the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make it his policy to oppose  (a) assisted suicide and  (b) voluntary euthanasia; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department's policy is governed by:
	the Abortion Act 1967, as amended by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990; and
	the Suicide Act 1961 (assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia).The Government have no plans to change this legislation. Any proposals to change the law would be dealt with as a matter of conscience.
	The Government continue to support ethically approved research using all sources of stem cells, including embryonic stem cells as permitted under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990.
	No organisations or individuals have been consulted on these policies in the last 12 months.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Departmental Air Travel

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend East of 17 November 2008,  Official Report, column 184W, on departmental air travel, how many members of his Department have taken advantage of the policy on travelling in a cheaper class and using the difference for additional free personal air travel in the last 12 months.

Gillian Merron: No central record is kept and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Expenditure is monitored locally at each overseas mission and is subject to audit checks.

Departmental Disabled Staff

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what conclusions his Department has reached in fulfilment of its duty under section 3.111 of the statutory code of practice of the disability equality duty.

Gillian Merron: A substantial programme of work is being implemented following the review carried out by the former Disability Rights Commission (2007). The Foreign and Commonwealth Office Annual Diversity Report 2007 (published March 2008) summarised our achievements for disability equality and the targets set for 2008. The next annual report of progress is due for publication March 2009 and we will share the impact of particular policies/services on our disabled customers (including staff) and how we used this to inform and improve outcome for this equality target group.

Departmental Official Hospitality

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what records his Department maintains of its expenditure on  (a) official hospitality and  (b) alcohol for official hospitality.

Gillian Merron: Protocol Directorate of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) maintains records of all expenditure on official hospitality by Government Hospitality. Government Hospitality is responsible for the organisation of official ministerial hospitality for all Government Departments and for the management of the Government wine cellar. The FCO does not maintain a central record of other hospitality expenditure, although all staff are bound by official guidance which ensures that the provision of food and beverages at public expense is appropriate and cost-effective.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer of 10 November 2008,  Official Report, column 881W, on departmental temporary employment, how many staff were recruited through each company in each year; and for how long on average staff recruited through these companies worked for the Department in each year.

Gillian Merron: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not maintain central records of the value or length of individual contracts for temporary employment between its directorates and individual companies. These figures can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Falkland Islands: Air Routes

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has received on the proposed pricing scheme for the Falkland Islands Airbridge under the provisions of the Joint Policy Statement agreed between his Department and the Ministry of Defence.

Gillian Merron: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Ministry of Defence have yet to agree the new Joint Policy Statement on the South Atlantic Airbridge. I have relayed the Falklands Islands Government's suggested alternative pricing arrangements to the Minister for the armed forces. I look forward to resolving this issue so that the negotiations can be concluded.

Falkland Islands: Air Routes

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations were carried out by his Department on the proposed pricing scheme for the Falkland Islands Airbridge under the provisions of the Joint Policy Statement agreed between his Department and the Ministry of Defence; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence have yet to agree the new Joint Policy Statement on the South Atlantic Airbridge. The FCO has consulted fully with the governments of the Falkland Islands, Ascension Island and St. Helena, plus the Department for International Development, as part of these negotiations, and ensure that they have been able to participate in the negotiations.

Forced Marriage

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding has been allocated to public information campaigns to increase awareness about access to assistance for suspected victims of forced marriage in 2008-09.

Gillian Merron: So far this year the Forced Marriage Unit has either allocated or spent £25,237 on developing awareness raising materials. These include work with the Department for Children, Schools, and Families to develop new materials for schools, development of bilingual posters in Urdu, Bengali, Hindi, Kurdish and Arabic and development of materials for a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender audience.
	Our high commission in Islamabad has allocated a further £25,000, including awareness raising at airports and on airlines as well as projects targeting the Mirpur region, where most of our cases originate. Our high commission in Dhaka has also allocated £22,600 for a publicity campaign to raise awareness of forced marriage in Bangladesh.

Ilois: Resettlement

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on meeting the costs of the respondent in the case of R (on the application of Bancoult) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on which judgment was given in the House of Lords on 22 October 2008.

Gillian Merron: The costs of the respondent in the case of R (Bancoult)  v. Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the House of Lords on which judgment was given on 22 October 2008 have not yet been finalised.

Indian Ocean: Piracy

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the conditions under which the two British members of the crew of the MV Sirius Star are being held; and what assessment he has made of their safety and well-being.

David Miliband: We are making efforts to secure the release of all the crew members on board the MV Sirius Star. We have close contact with the families of the British captives, James Grady and Peter French, to whom we are providing consular assistance. Our understanding is that the crew onboard the Sirius Star have so far been treated reasonably well.

Israel: Religious Freedom

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the rights of Christians in the Palestinian territories with regard to  (a) housing,  (b) employment,  (c) travel and  (d) access to their property and lands.

Bill Rammell: We are concerned about the socio-economic differences between Arab and Christian population groups within the Palestinian territories, particularly with regard to land urban planning, housing infrastructure, economic development and education. We raise these concerns with the Palestinian Authority and will continue to work towards improving conditions for Palestinian minority groups.

Israel: Religious Freedom

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the incident on 23 November 2008 during which the Papal Nuncio in Israel, Archbishop Antonio Franco, was banned by Israeli authorities from entering Gaza; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We have not received reports that Papal Nuncio in Israel was banned by Israeli authorities from entering Gaza. However, we are very concerned about the general restrictions Israel has imposed preventing all diplomats, including our own staff, and members of the international community from entering Gaza. We and our international partners are pressing Israel to remove these restrictions.

Pakistan: Prisoners

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens were imprisoned in Pakistan during 2006.

Bill Rammell: The number of British nationals who were imprisoned in Pakistan in 2006 and whose detention was reported to our high commission in Islamabad was 30.

Pitcairn Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has put in place evacuation plans for the inhabitants of the Pitcairn Islands in the event of a natural disaster.

Gillian Merron: Every Foreign and Commonwealth Office post is required to have an emergency plan which sets out the procedures to take in case of an emergency. Pitcairn's was updated in May 2008.

Pitcairn Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the last occasion was on which a representative of his Department met an  (a) inhabitant and  (b) official of the Pitcairn Islands.

Gillian Merron: I met with Leslie Jaques, Pitcairn's Commissioner, during the Overseas Territories Consultative Council which was held in London in October 2008. An officer from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office lives on Pitcairn and officials from the governor's office in Wellington are in daily contact with the Pitcairn community and administrative offices in Auckland.

Pitcairn Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people have migrated to and from the Pitcairn Islands in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: Our records show that two people migrated to Pitcairn in 2004, two people in 2005, one person in 2006, and four people in 2007. No people have officially migrated from the island in the last five years.

Pitcairn Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to promote conservation schemes and preserve biodiversity in the Pitcairn Islands; and which endangered bird species inhabit the Islands.

Gillian Merron: The Government, through the Overseas Territories Environment Programme, is currently providing between £97,537 between 2007 and 2010 for a Royal Society for the Protection of Birds-run feasibility study into the eradication of rats from Henderson Island, a world heritage site. The fund has been used in the past for a number of projects including the production of a Management Plan for Henderson Island.
	According to the 2008 'Red List' produced by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, seven species of birds in the Pitcairn group are considered to be vulnerable or endangered. These are the Henderson crake, Henderson fruit-dove, Henderson lorikeet, Henderson petrel, Henderson reed-warbler, Phoenix petrel and Pitcairn reed-warbler.

Queen Elizabeth II: Anniversaries

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans his Department has made for marking the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

Gillian Merron: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not yet started its process of planning arrangements for marking the diamond jubilee in 2012 of Her Majesty The Queen's Accession.

Romania: Disabled

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made an assessment of the treatment of disabled people in  (a) Romania and  (b) the Philippines.

Caroline Flint: Romania has come a long way in its treatment of disabled children in the 20 years since the fall of Ceausescu. But problems do remain. EU funds are being used to help accelerate reforms. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister launched an initiative with the Romanian Prime Minister a year ago, sharing best practice on treatment of disabled children in Romania. Our embassy in Bucharest is in regular contact with the Romanian authorities and non governmental organisations and takes every opportunity to help raise public awareness of disability issues.
	We have not made an assessment of the treatment of disabled people in the Philippines and have no current plans to do so. The Philippine government has declared its commitment to improve the situation of persons with disabilities and declared 2003-12 the Decade of Persons with Disabilities. Legislation exists to protect the rights of people with disabilities and ensure equal opportunities, including the Accessibility Law and the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons. However, overall levels of poverty and limited government resources mean that the majority of people with disabilities, particularly in rural areas, lack access to programmes and benefits designed to support them.

Russia: BBC External Services

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much and what proportion of the overall BBC World Service budget was spent on  (a) Arabic-language services,  (b) Persian-language services and  (c) Russian-language services in each of the last five years.

Caroline Flint: Comparisons are difficult to make over the five year period (please see note 1). Over the last three years there has been a slight decrease in funding for the Russia service, mainly due to the withdrawal of FM partnerships in Russia. Funding has steadily increased on both Persian and Arabic services (for detailed figures please see the following table).
	
		
			  £ million /Percentage 
			   2004-05( 1)  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Russian 5.4 5.3 4.0 4.7 4.3 
			 Proportion of operating grant in aid (percentage) 2.8 2.5 1.9 2.1 1.8 
			 Arabic 15.8 16.0 7.2 7.8 7.7 
			 Arabic TV 0 4.0 9.0 19.0 21.5 
			 Total Arabic 15.8 20.0 16.2 26.8 29.2 
			 Proportion of operating grant in aid (percentage) 8.2 9.6 7.8 12.1 12.5 
			   
			 Persian and Pashto 7.1 6.6 4.8 5.8 5.6 
			 PTV 0 0 0 7.0 15.0 
			 Total Persian and Pashto (£ million) 7.1 6.6 4.8 12.8 20.6 
			 Proportion of operating grant in aid (percentage) 3.7 3.2 2.3 5.8 8.8 
			   
			 Operating grant in aid(2) 194.1 208.1 208.5 215.0 234.0 
			 Additional PTV funding 2007-08 0 0 0 0 7.0 
			 (1) Basis of accounting In 2004-05 and 2005-06 language service budgets included allocations of transmission costs, studio and studio manager usage, accommodation costs and IT support. In 2006-07, these costs were centralised and excluded from language service costs in order to simplify accounting procedures. Consequently the figures are not directly comparable between 2006-09 and prior years. (2) Note 2006-07—change in arrangements for BBC Monitoring 2005/06 b/fwd: £208.1 million SR2004 increase: £6.5 million Transfer to Cabinet Office re BBCM: £-6.1 million Adjusted 2006/07: £208.5 million

Thailand: Politics and Government

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Thailand.

Bill Rammell: The political situation in Thailand remains uncertain. The Thai Constitutional Court ruled on 2 December to dissolve three government coalition parties, including the People's Power party, and banned executive members of the parties, including Prime Minister Somchai, from politics for five years. Efforts to form a new coalition government are continuing. We cannot rule out the possibility of further demonstrations and violent unrest. We continue to urge all parties to resolve their differences peacefully, respecting the rule of law and Thailand's democratic institutions.

Tibet

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what factors have influenced the formulation of the Government's policy on the status of Tibet in the last two years.

Bill Rammell: The UK's policy in Tibet in the last two years has been based on one factor: our concern for the human rights situation in Tibet. We believe that the current situation there does not respect fully Tibetans' distinct culture, religion and languages. We believe that this can best be addressed through a meaningful system of autonomy, achieved through dialogue between the Chinese authorities and representatives of the Dalai Lama. Our concern for the human rights situation in Tibet is part of our broader policy of promoting respect for human rights globally.

Tibet

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy on the status of Tibet is; and for what reasons that policy was recently changed.

Bill Rammell: The Government's policy on the status of Tibet is set out in the written ministerial statement on Tibet of 29 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 30-32WS: that we do not support Tibetan independence. Like every other EU member state, and the United States, we regard Tibet as part of the People's Republic of China. We have consistently made clear that we want to see the human rights of the Tibetan people respected, including through respect for their distinct culture, language and religions. We consider the position the Dalai Lama has stated publicly, that he opposes violence and is seeking meaningful autonomy within the framework of the Chinese constitution, provides a basis for a negotiated settlement.
	We clarified our position in this way because our ability to get our points across on Tibet had sometimes been clouded by the position the UK took at the start of the 20(th) century on the status of Tibet. This had developed from the outdated concept of suzerainty. Our position as set out on 29 October allows us to speak unambiguously on the matter of Tibetan human rights.

Tibet

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes in the Government's policy on the status of Tibet were contained in the written ministerial statement of 29 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 30-32WS, on Tibet.

Bill Rammell: The written ministerial statement on 29 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 30-32WS, formally updated the UK's position on Tibet. It made clear that like every other EU member state, and the United States, we regard Tibet to be a part of the People's Republic of China. This is different from our earlier position, which spoke of the 'special position' of the Chinese authorities in Tibet, and was based on the historical concept of suzerainty. We have made clear our view that the position the Dalai Lama has stated publicly, that he is seeking meaningful autonomy within the framework of the Chinese constitution, provides a basis for a negotiated settlement to the problems of Tibet.

UK Trade and Investment: Overseas Workers

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many full-time equivalent staff are working overseas for UK Trade and Investment; and what estimate he has made of the number in the next financial year.

Gillian Merron: UK Trade and Investment has 1,294 full-time equivalent staff working overseas. A similar number is expected for the next financial year.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Biofuels: Wood

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will consider withholding planning consent for wood biomass energy plants of 50 megawatts and over except in cases where guarantees to source wood exclusively from overseas are in place.

Mike O'Brien: No. Previous biomass generating stations consented by the Secretary of State have included conditions covering the sustainability of the fuel to be used rather than its origin. Government also propose to include a sustainability reporting requirement for generators using biomass to generate electricity with a net capacity greater than 50kW, to take effect from 1 April 2009, as part of the reform of the renewables obligation.

Carbon Emissions

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the price per unit of carbon above which energy companies would have sufficient incentive to retrofit power plants with carbon capture and storage technology by  (a) 2010,  (b) 2015 and  (c) 2020.

Mike O'Brien: Modelling undertaken by DECC suggests that, when commercially available, the incentive required to install CCS, either as retrofit or on new power stations, is a carbon price of €40-60/tCO2, although there is significant uncertainty surrounding this range. The commercial availability of CCS is not expected to be achieved before 2020 following successful full-scale demonstration.
	Retrofitting carbon capture and storage in 2010 or 2015 would mean deploying the technology before it had been demonstrated at full-scale, and therefore the cost and performance of the technology would be uncertain. Moreover, energy companies are likely to require a significant risk premium for investing in unproven technology.

Departmental Buildings

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the answer of 17 November 2008,  Official Report, column 109W, on departmental buildings, by what date he expects all London staff to be moved into 3 Whitehall Place.

Mike O'Brien: It is not yet possible to give a firm date for the completion of the move, but, on the basis of current plans, we expect the bulk of the Department to be in 3 Whitehall Place by spring 2009.

Departmental Disabled Staff

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what conclusions his Department has reached in fulfilment of its duty under section 3.111 of the statutory code of practice of the disability equality duty.

Mike O'Brien: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was formed on 3 October 2008. The Department's conclusions in fulfilment of its duty under section 3.111 of the statutory code of practice of the disability equality duty will be set out in the Department's annual progress report on its Disability Equality Scheme, which will be published in due course.

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the answer of 4 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 336-7W, on Government departments: information and communications technology, which IP addresses are used by  (a) his Department and  (b) computers in the offices of its (i) Ministers, (ii) communications officials and (iii) special advisers.

Mike O'Brien: To help defend against electronic attack, it is standard good information security practice for corporate IT systems not to publish internal IP addresses. When accessing internet websites, the IP addresses of all of the computers on the Department of Energy and Climate Change's internal office IT system are hidden behind the following IP addresses which are publicly available—195.92.40.49 and 62.25.106.209. These IP addresses are shared with other Government Departments that use the Government secure intranet.

Departmental Marketing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much has been spent by his Department on advertising since its inception.

Mike O'Brien: None since 3 October 2008.

Departmental Procurement

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of invoices for goods and services procured from small and medium-sized businesses were paid within 10 days of receipt by  (a) his Department and its predecessor and  (b) the agencies for which his Department is responsible in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was formed on 3 October 2008. Information for 2006-07 and 2007-08 will be provided in the responses to this question from the Departments of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Departmental Public Expenditure

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the answer of 25 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1464W, on energy and climate change, for what reason the budget for his Department will not be published before February 2009.

Mike O'Brien: The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is currently engaged in discussions with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) to agree the finer detail of the policy areas and associated budgets to be transferred to DECC. Discussions are expected to conclude by the beginning of January 2009. A formal transfer of budgets will take place through the spring supplementary estimates in February.

Departmental Rail Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State travelled to Brussels by train on 5 December 2008 to attend the Environment Council. All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.

Departmental Reorganisation

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects discussions on machinery of government changes with the Departments for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to be completed.

Mike O'Brien: Negotiations on the machinery of government changes, as they affect the Department of Energy and Climate Change, are continuing. These negotiations should be completed in time to allow the Spring Supplementary Estimates to be completed early in 2009.

District Heating: Whitehall

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the levels of carbon dioxide emissions resulting from the operation of the Whitehall District Heating System has been in each of the last five years.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	Response from OGCbuying.solutions:
	
		
			  Calendar year  Carbon emissions (tonnes carbon) 
			 2003 1848.545 
			 2004 2451.272 
			 2005 2698.636 
			 2006 3008.454 
			 2007 2425.363

District Heating: Whitehall

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the output of the Whitehall District Heating System was in each of the last five years.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  kWhrs 
			   Year 1 2003-04  Year 2 2004-05  Year 3 2005-06  Year 4 2006-70  Year 5 2007-08 
			 Heat output 24,512,074 32,008,100 33,156,240 27,455,520 27,470,630 
			 Power output 0.00 0.00 11,035,840 4,401,950 4,387,391

District Heating: Whitehall

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will place in the Library a copy of the contracts the Government has entered into relating to the Whitehall District Heating System.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	Contracts regarding the Whitehall District Heating System are commercial in confidence.

District Heating: Whitehall

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the cost of the Whitehall District Heating System has been in each of the last five years.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Year 1 2003-04  Year 2 2004-05  Year 3 2005-06  Year 4 2006-07  Year 5 2007-08 
			 Cost of ownership 2.059 2.081 2.037 1.998 2.033

Electricity Generation

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on how many occasions a demand-side response has been required by the system operator to achieve balance in electricity supply in each of the last 10 years.

Mike O'Brien: Demand control has only been used on one day in the last 10 years by the system operator to achieve balance in the electricity supply. On the 27 May 2008 automatic low frequency demand tripping relays operated disconnecting 546MW of demand following an exceptional loss of generation. Subsequently demand reduction was also instructed to the distribution network operators (DNOs).

Energy Supply

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to ensure timely replacement of ageing  (a) electricity and  (b) gas transmission and distribution infrastructure; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: It is the responsibility of National Grid and the gas and electricity distribution network companies to maintain electricity and gas transmission infrastructure, operating under the regulatory framework provided by Government and regulated by Ofgem. Operators face financial incentives, managed by Ofgem, to reduce interruptions to supply over their network, thereby providing a strong incentive to upgrade networks as necessary. Recent price control reviews have taken account of the need for additional investment.

Energy Supply

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate he has made of the cost of replacing ageing  (a) electricity and  (b) gas transmission and distribution infrastructure in each of the next 10 years.

Mike O'Brien: The Government do not provide estimates of the cost of replacing electricity and gas transmission and distribution infrastructure. This is a matter for the network owners. The amount of investment in the development and maintenance of electricity and gas networks, however, is the subject of regulation by Ofgem, operating within the regulatory framework set out by Government. Ofgem regulates this investment through its price control reviews.

Environmental Transformation Fund

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the answer of 25 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 1474-75W, on renewable energy: finance, what the anticipated end date of the Environment Transformation Fund is.

Mike O'Brien: No end date has been set for the Environmental Transformation Fund (ETF). Funding has been provided for the current period 2008-11. Funding allocations beyond this period are subject to review through the spending review process.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate the Government have made of the cost of carbon allowances under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme in (a) 2012 and  (b) 2020.

Mike O'Brien: The Government use the forward market to estimate the cost of carbon allowances up until 2012, under Phase II of the EU Emission Trading System (EU ETS).
	The EU ETS post-2012 is being revised as part of the EU Energy and Climate Package.
	There is no forward market as yet for Phase III. The UK Government do not comment on prices while negotiations on the package are continuing.

Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Initiative

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will make an assessment of the work of the Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Initiative and its potential to contribute to the targets for carbon dioxide emissions set by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Department officials are aware of a number of proposals such as the Mid Atlantic Renewable Energy Initiative (MARE), to use solar and other renewable energy sources, coupled with high voltage DC power networks, to supply renewable electricity. Many of these projects are at a very early stage of development, and their likely scale and potential to contribute to reductions in carbon dioxide emissions cannot yet be reliably determined.
	The UK supports Article 5(9) of the draft EU renewable energy directive, which allows renewable energy generated by new installations outside the EU to count towards the EU renewable energy targets if it is consumed within the EU. We also accept that the energy directive should incentivise deployment of renewable technologies outside the EU, as well as inside. Projects such as MARE may be a way of doing this, although issues such as the high cost of developing offshore platforms and long distance sub-sea connections would need to be addressed.

National Grid

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on what dates he has met representatives of National Grid to discuss  (a) electricity and  (b) gas transmission and distribution infrastructure since his appointment.

Mike O'Brien: My noble Friend the Secretary of State met with representatives of National Grid on 14 October and 15 December and visited the National Control Centre for electricity on 26 November.

National Nuclear Laboratory

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the budget for the National Nuclear Laboratory is in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) each of the next five financial years.

Mike O'Brien: The National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) has been created from the BNFL subsidiary, Nexia Solutions Limited. HMG is currently running a competition to appoint a management contractor to manage the NNL and we expect that process to be completed next spring. Until then the NNL is operating very much as Nexia Solutions did and its results are included in the consolidated accounts of BNFL plc. The NNL is a commercial entity and as such derives revenues from its customers for contracted work. In 2006-07, Nexia Solutions (now the NNL) made an operating profit of £7 million before exceptional items on a turnover of £77 million. Once appointed, the managing contractor is expected to deliver growth and efficiencies, obtaining its fee from turnover with no requirement for separate funding from Government.

Natural Gas

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on how many occasions a demand-side response has been required by the system operator to achieve balance in gas supply in each of the last 10 years.

Mike O'Brien: The Gas Transmission System Operator, National Grid has not invoked interruption of gas supplies for national gas balancing purposes during the last 10 years.

Natural Gas: Competition

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of progress towards the implementation of the recommendations of the June 2006 report of the Competition Commission on the market for domestic bulk liquid petroleum gas.

Mike O'Brien: Ensuring that markets operate freely and fairly is a matter for the independent competition authorities. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) referred the market for the supply of domestic bulk liquid petroleum gas (LPG) to the Competition Commission (CC) on 5 July 2004. Following the report by the CC on 29 June 2006 on this market the CC made the first of two orders to remedy detrimental effects on customers so far as they have resulted from, or may be expected to result from, the adverse effects on competition specified in the report. From 13 April 2009, the first order will apply to all suppliers of bulk LPG for domestic use. A second order, which will apply to all suppliers of bulk LPG for domestic use on metered estates, is currently the subject of consultation and is expected to be published in early 2009. Once the orders are in place the OFT will monitor their effect.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions his Department has had with  (a) the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and  (b) EDF on (i) the timing of the NDA's announcement of the sale of NDA land for new nuclear builds and (ii) the likely effect of this sale and its timing on the price of (A) the Government's stake in British Energy and (B) shares in British Energy.

Mike O'Brien: The Department has had discussions both with the NDA, in line with our governance role, and EDF in connection with the sale of NDA and EDF land adjacent to existing NDA sites.
	The Government have committed to accept EDF's cash offer of 774p per share for its stake in British Energy, which puts the value of the stake at £4.4 billion, assuming the offer completes. The Government cannot speculate on any impact the sale of the NDA's sites might have on British Energy's share price, which is subject to market conditions.

Renewable Energy

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department plans to take to promote renewable energy in  (a) the UK,  (b) the North East,  (c) Tees Valley district and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency.

Mike O'Brien: The Government published in the summer a consultation document (UK Renewable Energy Strategy) setting out the wide range of policies already in place to promote renewable energy in the UK, and seeking views on potential further measures in the light of our longer term renewable ambitions. We will publish our final renewable energy strategy in spring next year, detailing an action plan for promoting further renewable deployment throughout the UK.

Renewable Energy

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of UK electricity supply came from renewable sources in each year since 1990.

Mike O'Brien: The proportion of electricity generated in the UK in each year since 1990 that came from renewable sources is as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 1990 1.84 
			 1991 1.67 
			 1992 2.03 
			 1993 1.82 
			 1994 2.25 
			 1995 2.18 
			 1996 1.74 
			 1997 2.12 
			 1998 2.55 
			 1999 2.76 
			 2000 2.75 
			 2001 2.62 
			 2002 2.87 
			 2003 2.67 
			 2004 3.58 
			 2005 4.25 
			 2006 4.54 
			 2007 4.96 
			  Source: Energy Sector Indicators, 2008

Wind Power: Planning Permission

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many applications have been  (a) received and  (b) granted under (i) section 36 and (ii) section 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 in each of the last 10 years.

Mike O'Brien: The following table provides the data for section 36 power station casework.
	
		
			   Applications  Consents 
			 2000 9 11 
			 2001 4 7 
			 2002 9 8 
			 2003 6 5 
			 2004 5 4 
			 2005 17 4 
			 2006 10 7 
			 2007 12 12 
			 2008 12 12 
		
	
	In the period December 1997 to November 2000 a constraint was imposed on new gas-fired power stations, hence data have been provided from the year in which the policy was lifted.
	The Department's electronic database on section 37 casework is a recent innovation and the volume of such casework is high. Our records, however, show an increase from 350 applications in 2001 to 530 applications in 2005, and a further increase in 2007 to 742 applications. The numbers have been increasing as the network companies seek to improve the resilience of their system. The applications are predominantly for upgrading, minor diversions or rationalisations/re-routing of existing lower voltage lines rather than for completely new high voltage lines. Experience is that the vast majority of these applications would have been consented, with only a few refused or withdrawn.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcoholic Drinks: Crime

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were  (a) prosecuted,  (b) convicted and  (c) received a level 2 fine for the offence of not obeying an instruction to stop drinking in a designated public place in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts, found guilty, and issued with a level two fine (over £200 and up to and including £500) at all courts for offences relating to the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S12, in England and Wales, from 2003 to 2007 can be viewed in the following table.
	Additionally, 1,544 individuals received a penalty notice for disorder (PND) for this offence in 2007. In 2006, the figure was 1,061, in 2005 the figure was 712, and in 2004, 485 individuals received a PND for this offence.
	
		
			  The number of persons proceeded against at magistrates court, found guilty, and issued with a level 2 fine (over £200 and up to £500) at all courts for offences relating to the Police Reform Act 2002 Sch.4 Para.5 (Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S.12). Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S12, in England and Wales, 2002 to 2007( 1,2,3) 
			   Proceeded against  Found guilty  Fine (level 2): over £200 and up to £500 
			 2003 108 94 8 
			 2004 122 96 5 
			 2005 101 76 5 
			 2006 101 73 9 
			 2007 113 98 5 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Includes the following statutes and corresponding offence descriptions: Police Reform Act 2002 Sch.4 Para.5 (Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S.12). Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S12. Contravene a community support officers' requirement not to consume liquor. Penalty offence under s.l Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001—alcohol consumption in designated public places.  Source: OCJR—E and A: Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Evidence and Analysis Unit

Animal Experiments: Licensing

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many animal procedures licences were  (a) received and  (b) approved by her Department in each of the last five years.

Meg Hillier: From the retained records available to us details for licences granted in each of the last five years and the current year to date under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 are shown in the following table. A feature of the regulatory regime under the 1986 Act is the discussion that often takes place at an early stage between applicants (or prospective applicants) and the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate. When serious deficiencies are discovered with the proposals during these early discussions with the local inspectors this means that proposals unlikely to meet the Act's stringent requirements are revised or withdrawn before formal refusal becomes necessary.
	Furthermore it is commonly the case that the authorities ultimately granted are not as originally set out by the applicants.
	
		
			  Project Licences 
			  Year project licence applied for  Number of licences applied for  Number granted in 2003  Number granted in 2004  Number granted in 2005  Number granted in 2006  Number granted in 2007  Number granted in 2008 to date  Number not proceeded with plus those still outstanding at end of the period  Number refused 
			 2003 n/a 774 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2004 n/a x 575 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2005 492 x x 386 88 4 1 13 0 
			 2006 586 x x x 430 135 0 21 0 
			 2007 599 x x x x 458 109 32 0 
			 2008 to date 718 x x x x x 563 155 0 
			   
			  Personal Licences  
			 2003 n/a 2,273 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2004 n/a x 2,156 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2005 1,784 x x 1,567 204 5 3 5 0 
			 2006 2,270 x x x 1,968 282 6 14 0 
			 2007 2,505 x x x x 2,267 209 29 0 
			 2008 to date 2,638 x x x x x 2,458 180 0 
			   
			  Certificates of Designation  
			 2003 n/a 6 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			   
			 2004 n/a x 2 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2005 5 x x 4 — — — 1 — 
			 2006 2 x x x 2 — — — — 
			 2007 2 x x x x 2 — 0 0 
			 2008 to date 2 x x x x x 2 0 0

Arrests: Convictions

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests there have been for a recordable offence in the last 10 years; and how many such arrests resulted in convictions.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 15 December 2008
	 The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only.
	The data requested are given in the following table covering the period from 1999-2000 (previous years data are unreliable) to 2006-07 (latest available). There is no link from these centrally reported data to any subsequent outcome.
	Data for 2007-08 are due to be published in early 2008-09.
	
		
			  Persons arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences), 1999-2000 to 2006-07—England and Wales 
			   Number of arrests 
			 1999-2000 1,277,900 
			 2000-01 1,264,200 
			 2001-02 1,271,900 
			 2002-03 1,313,100 
			 2003-04 1,330,400 
			 2004-05 1,353,400 
			 2005-06 1,429,800 
			 2006-07 1,482,200 
			  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Biometrics: Pilot Schemes

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pilot schemes for new biometric technology have been carried out over the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: UKvisas, together with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, carried out a pilot collecting two flat fingerprints from visa applicants in Colombo, matching them against IAFS. The pilot started in July 2003, was evaluated after six months and then extended to other posts.
	In advance of the BRP rollout, UK Borders Agency ran a pilot at the Croydon Public Enquiry Office from April this year.
	Its predecessor, the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, ran a Project IRIS pilot from June 2005 to May 2006.

Compulsorily Detained Mental Patients

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had on the introduction of the electronic collection of data relating to people detained in a place of safety under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

Vernon Coaker: The detention of people under section 136 in hospitals (but not police stations) falls within the remit of the Mental Health Act Commission (MHAC) to keep under review the operation of the Mental Health Act. As a result of the Health and Social Care Act that role will pass to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) the new single, integrated regulator for health and adult social care. CQC is intended to operate from April 2009.
	The IPCC has recommended that CQC be responsible for analysing and publishing annual data on the use of section 136 and the outcomes for the people involved, to see whether it is being used appropriately by the police. We are aiming to meet with ACPO and the CQC early in the new year to determine whether we can integrate the recording of all persons detained under section 136 to give effect to the IPCC recommendation.

Crime Prevention: Young People

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Departments are involved in the prevention of youth crime; and what the role of each is in this respect.

Jacqui Smith: The Home Office, Department for Children, Schools and Families, and the Ministry of Justice are all jointly committed to tackling the problem of youth crime, and July's Youth Crime Action Plan demonstrates this tri-lateral approach to the problem.
	It sets out a triple track approach of enforcement and punishment where behaviour is unacceptable, non-negotiable support and challenge where it is most needed, and better and earlier prevention.
	Clearly the three Departments set out above have different responsibilities within the youth crime agenda and lead on different strands of the work, however all are jointly signed up to this approach.
	Generally, the Home Office, with overall responsibility for reducing crime, leads on enforcement and policing strands of work, the Ministry of Justice on the youth justice system, custody and resettlement, and the Department for Children, Schools and Families on early intervention and prevention. However these responsibilities are not absolute and very effective partnership working has been developed to ensure focus on delivery and to reduce any negative effects of possible silo working.
	A very significant contribution to the youth crime agenda is also made by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform which is leading on issues of youth victimisation.

Crime Prevention: Young People

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the  (a) objectives,  (b) results and  (c) costs were of the youth crime prevention programmes sponsored by her Department in the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The Home Office has sponsored the following youth crime prevention programmes in the last five years:
	Youth Inclusion Programmes (YIPs), established in 2000, are tailor-made programmes for eight to 17-year-olds, who are identified as being at high risk of involvement in offending or antisocial behaviour.
	YIPs are also open to other young people in the local area. The programme operates in 110 of the most deprived/high crime estates in England and Wales.
	YIPs aim to reduce youth crime and antisocial behaviour in neighbourhoods where they work. Young people on the YIP are identified through a number of different agencies including youth offending teams (YOTs), police, social services, local education authorities or schools, and other local agencies.
	The programme gives young people somewhere safe to go where they can learn new skills, take part in activities with others and get help with their education and careers guidance. Positive role models—the workers and volunteer mentors—help to change young people's attitudes to education and crime.
	Each project has the following aims:
	to engage with a high proportion of the target group of young people (as identified by the agencies above), especially those members deemed most at risk;
	to address the risks identified by assessment;
	to increase access to mainstream and specialist services, especially in relation to education, training and employment, for the young people involved;
	to prevent young people in the programme from entering the Criminal Justice System, and to reduce offending of young people already in the system;
	to intervene, not just on an individual level, but with communities and families (especially the parents of the core group).
	Each YIP receives an annual grant from the YJB through its YOT and is required to find matched funding from local agencies to add to this. In many areas, programmes also obtain resources from other organisations (such as new deal for communities), which share the aim of supporting communities in relation to crime and antisocial behaviour.
	There are now 120 YIPs across England and Wales, based in some of the most deprived and high-crime areas. YIPs work with eight to 17-year-olds carefully targeted according to their risk of involvement in offending or antisocial behaviour. This targeting is based on many factors, such as exclusion from school, and involves many different agencies working together including youth offending teams (YOTs), police, schools and social services.
	A total of 25,287 young people were engaged by phase two of YIP. This includes 82 per cent. of the 'Core 50'—the 50 young people in each neighbourhood deemed most to be at risk of crime. The purpose of phase two of YIP is to 'reduce youth crime within the neighbourhood'.
	The YJB announced in September that it had exceeded its 5 per cent. target to reduce the number of first-time entrants to the youth justice system; 10.2 per cent. fewer young people have become involved with crime since 2005-06.
	Youth Inclusion and Support Panels (YISPs) aim to prevent antisocial behaviour and offending by eight to 13-year-olds who are considered to be at high risk of offending.
	They have been designed to help the YJB meet its target of putting in place, in each YOT in England and Wales, programmes that will identify and reduce the likelihood of young people committing offences.
	Panels are made up of a number of representatives of different agencies (e.g. police, schools, health and social services). The main emphasis of a panel's work is to ensure that children and their families, at the earliest possible opportunity, can access mainstream public services.
	Following a successful pilot scheme that began in April 2003, the YJB and the Children's Fund now fund 122 YISPs. Of these, 13 pilot areas have received additional support to develop procedures and innovative practice, which will then provide a framework of best practice for all other YISPs.
	The Positive Futures programme is a national sports based social inclusion programme which is funded by the Home Office in partnership with the Football Foundation. The programme aims to have a positive influence on young people's lives through widening their horizons and providing access to new opportunities by using sport, art and leisure activities as a catalyst to encourage project participation and steering young people towards education, training and employment.
	The programme helps the Home Office deliver its ambitions around reducing drug use and drug harms, but also helps us achieve other aims relating to crime, antisocial behaviour and guns, gangs and knives. The programme achieves these outcomes by tackling risk factors such as vulnerability and social exclusion as well as by doing more direct work, for example, by putting young people in touch with drugs workers.
	The programme has been in operation since 2001 and the number of projects has grown to over 120 projects. The projects operate in each of the 30 areas worst affected by drug-related crime in the country. They are delivered locally by a range of agencies including local authorities, charities, sports clubs and crime reduction agencies.
	Between 1 October 2006 and 30 September 2007 over 48,000 young people attended projects across the country, and nearly 1.1 million contact hours were invested with young people. 76 per cent. of those engaged in the programme had been in contact for periods in excess of 12 weeks.
	Funding by the Home Office for all three of the above programmes is as follows—£7 million per annum was provided by the Home Office to the YJB for YIPs when the YJB was sponsored by the Home Office. When responsibility for the YJB passed from the Home Office to MOJ during 2007-08, so did the baseline prevention funding. New SR04 funding was made available to YJB from the Home Office from 2005-06 to 2008-09 (£3 million, £15 million, £15 million, £18 million). Additional YIP and YISP funding (not included here) has been provided by MOJ and DCSF to YJB from 2007-08 onwards.
	The Home Office is also providing £5.9 million of funding for the Positive Futures Programme in 2008-09.

Crimes of Violence

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many violent incidents were recorded by the British Crime Survey in each police force area in 2007-08.

Jacqui Smith: The number of violent incidents per 10,000 adults recorded by the BCS in each police force area is published annually in the Home Office statistical bulletin "Crime in England and Wales", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library. Figures for 2007-08 are included in Table 1.
	
		
			  Table 1: Violent crime incidents by police force area—2007-08 BCS 
			  Police force area  All BCS violence per 10,000 adults( 1) 
			 Cleveland 301 
			 Durham 568 
			 Northumbria 723 
			 Cheshire 376 
			 Cumbria 324 
			 Greater Manchester 503 
			 Lancashire 606 
			 Merseyside 582 
			 Humberside 563 
			 North Yorkshire 278 
			 South Yorkshire 683 
			 West Yorkshire 730 
			 Derbyshire 294 
			 Leicestershire 376 
			 Lincolnshire 463 
			 Northamptonshire 868 
			 Nottinghamshire 810 
			 Staffordshire 641 
			 Warwickshire 626 
			 West Mercia 499 
			 West Midlands 451 
			 Bedfordshire 481 
			 Cambridgeshire 445 
			 Essex 245 
			 Hertfordshire 433 
			 Norfolk 479 
			 Suffolk 165 
			 Metropolitan Police 542 
			 Hampshire 492 
			 Kent 398 
			 Surrey 585 
			 Sussex 298 
			 Thames Valley 531 
			 Avon and Somerset 452 
			 Devon and Cornwall 333 
			 Dorset 651 
			 Gloucestershire 403 
			 Wiltshire 221 
			 Dyfed-Powys 470 
			 Gwent 885 
			 North Wales 303 
			 (1) All BCS violence includes wounding, assault with minor injury, assault with no injury and robbery.

Crimes of Violence

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were charged with an offence of violence against the person in each of the last two years for which figures are available; and how many received a police caution and were not prosecuted.

Alan Campbell: Statistics on the number of persons charged with offences are not collected centrally. The available information relates to persons proceeded against and cautioned and these figures are published by the Ministry of Justice. There were 61,056 persons proceeded against for violence against the person offences in 2007 and 64,763 in 2006. The number who received a caution for violence against the person was 52,334 in 2007 and 57,273 in 2006.

Crimes of Violence: Health Services

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people aged  (a) between 18 and 23,  (b) between 24 and 29,  (c) between 30 and 35,  (d) between 36 and 40 and  (e) over 41 years old have been arrested for assaulting paramedics in each month of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 15 December 2008
	The data requested are not collected centrally.
	The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, broken down at a main offence group level, covering categories such as violence against the person and robbery.
	It is not possible to identify assaults of a paramedic from within the "violence against the person" offence group.
	Information on assaults of NHS staff is a matter for the Department of Health.

Crimes of Violence: Health Services

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been arrested in each local authority area for assaulting a paramedic in each month of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 15 December 2008
	 The data requested are not collected centrally.
	The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, broken down at a main offence group level, covering categories such as violence against the person and robbery.
	It is not possible to identify assaults of a paramedic from within the "violence against the person" offence group.
	Information on assaults of NHS staff is a matter for the Department of Health.

Driving Under Influence: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people resident in  (a) Southampton,  (b) Test Valley Borough and  (c) the ceremonial county of Hampshire were breathalysed and recorded as below the drink-driving limit in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The Home Office breath tests collection covers the number of screening breath tests taken and the number positive or refused. The available information covering the Hampshire police force area (which includes the Isle of Wight) is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Screening breath tests conducted and the number positive or refused, Hampshire police force area 2002-06 
			   Number of tests  Number positive /r efused 
			 2002 35,200 4,000 
			 2003 37,500 4,000 
			 2004 38,400 3,800 
			 2005 38,300 4,300 
			 2006 34,800 3,700 
			  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 
		
	
	Information collected centrally is broken down by police force area only therefore data for Southampton and the Test Valley borough are not available. Additionally, the collection does not identify the addresses of persons tested.

Drug Seizures

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the proposed pilot scheme to test the benefits of establishing a national forensic database of drug seizures will be established; where it will take place; and what the cost of the scheme will be.

Jacqui Smith: The pilot scheme started on 6 October 2008. The collection of data will take place nationally. This data will be processed on a SOCA site in the Birmingham area. SOCA has funding of £700,000 for the pilot.

Drugs: Crime

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crack house closures there were in  (a) Ashford and  (b) Kent in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 introduced the provision for police to serve a closure notice on any premises that are believed by the police to be used for the production, supply or use of class A drugs, and which are causing serious nuisance or disorder.
	The Home Office collects data on the number of closure orders issued through the voluntary Crime Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) survey of antisocial behaviour tools and powers. Latest available data from this survey cover the period from October 2003 to September 2007 and show that in the Ashford CDRP area one such order was served (in 2007). There were 11 closure orders served in Kent over this period, in 2004-05 the figure was two, in 2005-06 the figure was six, in 2006-07 the figure was two, and between April and September 2007 one such closure order was served.
	Data for 2007-08 will be published early in 2009.

Drugs: Crime Prevention

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department plans to spend in total on tackling drugs in  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11.

Jacqui Smith: Labelled expenditure is defined as that which is included in budgets, is drug-specific and is proactive, in that it is linked to the achievement of specific policy aims. Home Office labelled expenditure for the current financial year is £160.39 million. While precise figures for Home Office labelled expenditure are not yet available for the financial years 2009-10 and 2010-11, it is expected that the figure will remain broadly stable.
	In addition to labelled expenditure, the Home Office meets the costs of activity which is reactive, such as enforcement of the laws surrounding drugs.
	Further details of the resources invested by Government departments are set out in an appendix to the drug strategy, which can be viewed at:
	http://drugs.homeoffice.gov.uk/publication-search/drug-strategy/drug-strategy-2008?view=Standard&pubID=531716.

Drugs: Crime Prevention

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 22 October 2008,  Official Report, column 442W, on drugs: crime prevention, when she expects data on crackhouse closure orders in 2007-08 to be available.

Jacqui Smith: Data on crackhouse closure orders for the 2007-08 period will be published through the CDRP survey of antisocial behaviour tools and powers, which will be available early in 2009.

Entry Clearances: Biometrics

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how long biometric information collected from a recipient of a biometric visa may be retained once the individual is no longer resident in the UK.

Jacqui Smith: The Immigration (Provision of Physical Data) Regulations 2006 allow biometric data collected as part of the visa application process to be retained for a maximum period of 10 years. However, there are circumstances when this period may be less. These are if a person becomes a British Citizen or a Commonwealth Citizen who has a right of abode in the UK as a result of section 2(1)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971.

Entry Clearances: Business

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there is a limit on the number of times a person can be granted entry to the UK for six months as a business visitor.

Jacqui Smith: There is no restriction on the number of business visits a person may make to the UK, or any requirement that a specified time must elapse between successive visits. The fact that a person has made a series of visits with only brief intervals between them would not, in the absence of any other relevant factors, constitute sufficient grounds for refusal of leave to enter.

Genetics: Databases

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 10 September 2008,  Official Report, columns 1767-8W, on genetics: databases, of the 14,000 offences linked to DNA profiles retained since 2001, how many were detected crimes in which an offender was brought to justice.

Jacqui Smith: It has been assumed that this question refers to the written answer on 10 July 2008,  Official Report, columns 1767-8W (as the  Official Report for 10 September 2008 does not include a written answer at columns 1767-8W on Genetics: Databases).
	The written answer on 10 July 2008,  Official Report, columns 1767-8W referred to research information on the number of DNA profiles taken from persons arrested, charged but not convicted of an offence that have resulted in a DNA match, providing the police with an intelligence link on the possible identity of the offender and assisting in the detection of crimes. The research information indicated that in the period May 2001 to December 2005, an estimated 200,000 DNA samples taken from people charged with offences had been retained on the NDNAD, which would previously have had to be removed because of the absence of a conviction. From these, approximately 8,500 profiles of individuals have been linked with crime scene profiles, involving nearly 14,000 offences. These offences included 114 murders, 55 attempted murders and 116 rapes.
	No information is available on how many of the 14,000 offences linked to DNA profiles retained since 2001 were detected and on whether an offender was brought to justice. It is understood that this information would have been too time-consuming for the researchers to collate; it would have involved requesting information on the outcomes of the 14,000 crimes from the 43 police forces in England and Wales and subsequent checks by forces of case record systems.
	I have asked the National Policing Improvement Agency to look into the possibility of updating the research information on the number of DNA profiles taken from persons arrested, charged but not convicted of an offence that have resulted in a DNA match, providing the police with information on the possible identity of the offender.

Genetics: Databases

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have a record on the national DNA database; and of these how many have not been convicted of any crime.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 15 December 2008
	At 30 September 2008, there were an estimated 4,631,838 persons with a profile on the National DNA Database (NDNAD). Of these, an estimated 4,355,904 persons had been sampled by forces in England and Wales.
	Data on arrest and criminal histories are not held on the NDNAD, but are held on the Police National Computer (PNC). Such data are not available routinely, but the National Policing Improvement Agency obtains information periodically on the number of persons on the NDNAD who have a conviction and on the number of those who have not. This information was last obtained at the end of March 2008.
	On 31 March 2008, there were an estimated 4,116,713 persons on the NDNAD sampled by police forces in England and Wales, of whom 3,832,986 persons had a record retained on PNC. Of these, over 3.25 million persons had a conviction, caution, formal warning or reprimand recorded on the PNC and around 573,600 persons had no current conviction, caution, formal warning or reprimand recorded on PNC.
	The 573,600 figure includes some persons who may have had a caution or conviction record removed from PNC after five to 10 years in accordance with the Rules for Criminal Record Weeding (which applied prior to April 2006); persons who have been charged and acquitted or proceedings discontinued; persons who have been charged with a recordable offence and proceedings are on-going; and persons who have been arrested but no further action was taken against them.
	The PNC records for the other 283,727 persons had been removed from the PNC for various reasons, for example, their conviction and caution records had been weeded after five to 10 years, the person had been acquitted or proceedings were discontinued.

Genetics: Databases

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the national DNA database has been accessed in relation to a case where  (a) a conviction was made and  (b) a conviction was not made; and how many convicted individuals in such circumstances had a DNA profile on the database but had no prior conviction.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 15 December 2008
	 The National DNA Database (NDNAD) functions by comparing subject profiles taken from individuals against DNA crime scene profiles retrieved from unsolved crimes. It cannot be accessed directly by the police service. The NDNAD currently generates around 3,100 matches per month. Details of matches are sent to the relevant police force, providing key intelligence on the possible identity of the offender.
	Information on the number of convictions in which DNA profiles from the NDNAD have been used in evidence is not collected by the Home Office, as convictions are obtained by integrated criminal investigation and not by forensic science alone.
	However, data have been collected since 1998 on the number of crimes detected in which a DNA match was available and/or played a part in solving the crime. It is estimated that over the period April 1998 to March 2008, there have been over 272,000 such detections.
	Information on the number of detections/convictions in which DNA subject sample profiles on the NDNAD taken from persons with no previous convictions have been used in evidence is not available from the NDNAD, nor is it available from police force data collected by the Home Office on forensic activity and related detections. The NDNAD holds DNA profiles taken from persons arrested for a recordable offence but does not hold data on their criminal histories; this information is held on the police national computer (PNC).

Human Trafficking

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's definition is of a person who has been trafficked.

Alan Campbell: The Department considers a victim of human trafficking to be an individual who has been subjected to the crimes set out in sections 57-60 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and section 4 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004.
	However, identifying if someone is a victim of human trafficking is a complex issue. It is a largely an unreported crime and there is also a need to protect against fraudulent claims. The UK is currently in the process of developing a formal identification procedure to help identify if there are reasonable grounds to believe that an individual is a victim of human trafficking. This will follow the internationally recognised definitions of human trafficking as set out in the Palermo protocol.

Human Trafficking

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of people-trafficking related  (a) investigations,  (b) resultant trials and  (c) subsequent convictions have arisen through the activity of the Metropolitan Police Human Trafficking Unit in each year since its inception.

Alan Campbell: It is not possible to give a percentage breakdown of trials and investigations which are ongoing throughout the country.
	The data provided by the UK Human Trafficking Centre indicate that of the 92 convictions secured for offences of human trafficking for sexual exploitation, 28 have been as a result of operations by the police in the Metropolitan Police Service area. It is not possible to break down the number solely related to the work of the Met's trafficking unit as operations against this crime often involve officers from the boroughs, the clubs and vice unit as well as from the joint operations involving UKBA staff.
	The number of convictions by year is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004 1 
			 2005 10 
			 2006 10 
			 2007 1 
			 2008 6

Human Trafficking

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of individuals trafficked into the UK for  (a) sexual exploitation and  (b) forced labour purposes in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 15 December 2008
	The covert nature of crime makes it difficult to make an accurate assessment of the scale of the problem faced by the United Kingdom.
	The latest estimate is that at any one time in 2003 there were up to 4,000 women in the UK who were possibly victims of human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. There is no estimate available at this time on the numbers of possible victims of trafficking for the purpose of forced labour.
	The UK Human Trafficking Centre, in conjunction with the Serious Organised Crime Agency and Police Regional Intelligence Units continues work to build a clearer picture of the nature and scale of the threat posed by all forms of trafficking.

Human Trafficking

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate has been made of the number of individuals trafficked into the UK for  (a) sexual exploitation and  (b) forced labour purposes who have been rescued as a result of work carried out by the Metropolitan Police human trafficking team.

Alan Campbell: It is not possible to give an estimate of the number of trafficking victims rescued solely as a result of the work of the MPS human trafficking team as operations against this crime often involve officers from the boroughs, other forces, the Clubs and Vice Unit as well as from the joint operations involving UKBA staff.

Human Trafficking: Ministerial Statements

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make it her policy that all oral and written statements to be made in the House regarding human trafficking and related matters are notified in advance to the hon. Member for Totnes in his capacity as Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Trafficking of Women and Children.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 11 December 2008
	We shall continue to issue oral and written statements in the usual way.

Human Trafficking: Press Releases

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make it her policy that all press releases from her Department regarding human trafficking and related matters are sent to the hon. Member for Totnes in his capacity as Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Trafficking of Women and Children at the same time as they are released to the media.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 11 December 2008
	We shall continue to release press statements on human trafficking in the usual way.

Human Trafficking: Prosecutions

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have been prosecuted as a result of work carried out by the Metropolitan Police human trafficking team.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 15 December 2008
	 Of the 92 convictions secured for human trafficking offences 27 have been as a result of operations by the police in the Metropolitan Police Service area. It is not possible to break down the number solely related to the work of the Met's trafficking unit as operations against this crime often involve officers from the boroughs, the Clubs and Vice Unit as well as from the joint operations involving UKBA staff.

Maritime Analysis Operations Centre - Narcotics

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding the Government  (a) has contributed to the Maritime Analysis Operations Centre—Narcotics in 2007-08,  (b) plans to contribute to the Centre in 2008-09 and  (c) plans to contribute in each of the next three years.

Jacqui Smith: Under the terms of the EC Action Grant, 70 per cent. of the total agreed funding of the centre is provided by the European Commission. The remaining 30 per cent. is divided up between the seven partner countries involved in MAOC (N), which includes the UK.
	In accordance with these terms, SOCA has contributed the following cash funding to MAOC (N):
	
		
			   Cash funding (£) 
			 June 2007 23,973 
			 June 2008 4,626 
		
	
	The initial funding of £23,973 (€35,000) was sought from each partner country in advance as a contribution to set up costs. However, the amount sought turned out to be insufficient to fulfil the agreement that the seven partner countries should contribute 30 per cent. of the total funding. The second year's contribution of £4,626 (€5,782) was therefore the additional amount required from each partner country to make up the 30 per cent. of the total grant. The grant will cover MAOC (N) until June 2010, when a second application for funding will be made.
	In addition to this funding, SOCA provides three full-time staff to MAOC (N): two on loan and one fully funded by SOCA.
	It is not yet possible to provide details of the funding contributions for future years.

Metropolitan Police: Human Trafficking

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reasons are for the withdrawal of funding for the Metropolitan Police Human Trafficking Unit; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: Following discussions with the Metropolitan Police Service, we have decided to provide additional funding for the MPS trafficking team.
	Human trafficking is part of core police business and this funding, which is a one-off grant, is designed to enable the MPS to mainstream this work into its daily activities in a planned and organised fashion.

Parenting Contracts

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 19 November 2008,  Official Report, column 595W, on parenting contracts, how the use of such contracts is monitored; and how their effectiveness is assessed.

Jacqui Smith: Parenting contracts are voluntary, informal arrangements and as such are not suitable for data collection. As data are not collected there is no formal monitoring system. However, while breach of a parenting contract carries no criminal sanction, evidence of non-compliance can be used by applicant agencies when applying to the courts for a parenting order.
	Breach of a parenting order is a criminal offence.

Passports: Finance

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of  (a) issuing and  (b) producing passports in each of the last eight years has been; and what estimate has been made of the cost of (i) issuing and (ii) producing passports for each of the next eight years.

Jacqui Smith: The costs of  (a) issuing and  (b) producing passports within IPS for the last eight financial years are as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Issuing costs  Production costs 
			 2000-01 3.9 73.1 
			 2001-02 3.8 82.1 
			 2002-03 3.1 78.4 
			 2003-04 5.5 82.3 
			 2004-05 20.0 92.1 
			 2005-06 21.7 107.3 
			 2006-07 22.3 154.4 
			 2007-08 17.2 159.0 
		
	
	The Identity Cards Scheme cost report published in November 2008 sets out the expected costs for the delivery of the scheme as a whole, which includes both identity cards and passports. In many cases, the same application will result in the issue of both a passport and ID card. The full cost of registering individuals for passports and ID cards is included in common costs because the same technology infrastructure and business processes will be used, thus costs cannot be separated for passports only. Further details are contained within the November 2008 cost report.

Police: Finance

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the change in police force costs in each year since 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: General estimates of inflation are made by reference to the Treasury gross domestic product deflator. Changes in the index since 2001-02 have been as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage change 
			 2001-02 +2.23 
			 2002-03 +3.22 
			 2003-04 +2.85 
			 2004-05 +2.72 
			 2005-06 +2.05 
			 2006-07 +2.69 
			 2007-08 +3.06 
			  Source: HM Treasury http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/gdp_deflators.xls

Police: Finance

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding was made available to  (a) Gloucestershire constabulary and  (b) police forces in England from (i) the general grant, (ii) additional rules 2 grant, (iii) security grant, (iv) Crime Fighting Fund grant, (v) police community support officer grant, (vi) Basic Crime Unit grant and (vii) probationer training grant in each year between 2001-02 and 2008-09; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2001-02( 1,2)  2002-03( 1)  2003-04( 3) 
			   Gloucestershire  Total English police authorities  Gloucestershire  Total English police authorities  Gloucestershire  Total English police authorities 
			 General Grant(5) 54.1 6,330.0 55.3 6,478.0 57.0 6,762.9 
			 Additional Rule 2 Grant 1.2 93.5 1.3 104.4 1.6 148.5 
			 Dedicated Security Post Grant(6) — 154.5 — 155.3 — 196.5 
			 Crime Fighting Fund 1.2 130.6 2.0 218.3 2.3 247.0 
			 Police Community Support Officer Grant — — — 19.2 0.2 39.0 
			 Basic Command Unit Fund — — — — 0.4 47.7 
			 Probationer Training Grant — — — — — — 
		
	
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2004-05( 3)  2005-06  2005-06( 3,4) 
			   Gloucestershire  Total English police authorities  Gloucestershire  Total English police authorities  Gloucestershire  Total English police authorities 
			 General Grant(5) 58.9 6,991.6 61.1 7,334.5 52.9 6,870.1 
			 Additional Rule 2 Grant 1.8 169.3 1.8 181.4 1.8 181.4 
			 Dedicated Security Post Grant(6) — 203.4 — 212.5 — 212.5 
			 Crime Fighting Fund 2.4 265.1 2.4 265.1 2.4 265.1 
			 Police Community Support Officer Grant 0.4 46.5 1.0 73.2 1.0 73.2 
			 Basic Command Unit Fund 0.4 47.7 0.4 47.7 0.4 47.7 
			 Probationer Training Grant — — — — — — 
		
	
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2006-07  2007-08( 7.8)  2008-09( 9) 
			   Gloucestershire  Total English police authorities  Gloucestershire  Total English police authorities  Gloucestershire  Total English police authorities 
			 General Grant(5) 54.5 7,090.9 56.4 7,348.0 57.8 7,548.1 
			 Additional Rule 2 Grant 1.8 182.0 1.8 182.0 2.1 197.5 
			 Dedicated Security Post Grant(6) — 212.5 — 212.5 — 224.5 
			 Crime Fighting Fund 2.4 265.1 2.4 265.1 2.4 265.1 
			 Police Community Support Officer Grant 0.5 40.5 0.5 41.8 3.0 308.3 
			 Basic Command Unit Fund 0.4 47.7 0.4 47.7 0.3 38.2 
			 Probationer Training Grant — — 0.2 16.2 — — 
			 (1) The term 'Rule 2' grant did not exist until 2006-07. The specific grants that make up rule 2 grants existing in 2001-02 and 2002-03 comprise Rural Policing Fund and Forensic (DNA) Grant for Gloucestershire. The total English figure also includes the London/SE Allowance. (2) General grant adjusted for NCS and NCIS. (3) 'Rule 2' grants includes from 2003-04 Special Priority Payments. (4) Adjusted general grant for comparison purposes following the transfer of pensions and security funding from general grant in 2006-07. (5) The total general grant for English police authorities includes City of London's share of RSG and NNDR. (6) For reasons of security, we do not disclose the level of funding provided to individual forces from the Dedicated Security Post (DSP) Grant. The total DSP grant for England and Wales between 2001-02 and 2008-09 is in the aforementioned table. (7) The National Policing Improvement Agency vested in April 2007. Therefore data on probationer funding prior to 2007 is not held by NPIA. (8) The £16.2 million for the IPLDP is for all England and Wales forces except the Metropolitan Police, who were not funded by the Home Office for this purpose. (9) 'Rule 2' grant for 2008-09 includes Initial Police Learning and Development Programme Grant which was included for the first time this year. Allocations of IPLDP are distributed on the basis of allocations under that grant in the last two years.

Police: Gloucestershire

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the  (a) security grant,  (b) crime fighting fund grant,  (c) police community support officer grant,  (d) basic crime unit grant and  (e) probationer training grant will be for Gloucestershire in 2009-10.

Vernon Coaker: The Government announced a three year police funding settlement for policing 2008-09 to 2010-11 in December 2007. This provided a background of stability and continuity against which the police and all stakeholders could plan, in partnership, with much greater certainty and confidence.
	On 26 November 2008 the Government confirmed that they are implementing the settlement for 2009-10 broadly unchanged from that announced last year.
	The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Gloucestershire 2009-10 
			   £ million 
			 Additional Rule 2 Grant(1) 2.1 
			 Dedicated Security Post Grant(2) — 
			 Crime Fighting Fund 2.4 
			 Neighbourhood Policing Fund/Police Community Support Officer Grant 3.1 
			 Basic Command Unit Fund 0.3 
			 (1) Additional Rule 2 Grant/Special Formula Grant comprises—Rural Policing Fund, Forensic (DNA) Grant, Special Priority Payments and the Initial Police Learning and Development Programme Grant. (2 )The overall figure for Dedicated Security Post (DSP) grant in England and Wales for 2009-10 has not yet been decided. However, for reasons of security, we do not disclose the level of funding provided to individual forces from the DSP grant.

Proceeds of Crime

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 14 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1079W, on the proceeds of crime, what initiatives have been funded through allocations to police forces under the asset recovery incentive scheme.

Jacqui Smith: In 2007-08 police forces invested most of their monies from the incentive scheme in further developing their asset recovery and financial investigation capacity, with the funding of financial investigator posts, anti-money laundering teams, and asset recovery operations. In addition some funds were used on local projects to tackle gun and knife crime. The Metropolitan Police Service also made a grant to the Safer London Foundation. Other forces supported a range of community initiatives, including youth projects, road shows, prevention of doorstep crime, over-60s club, and equipment for a faith based community centre.

Prostitution

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration she has given to the application of the definition of a prostitute controlled for another person's gain to male and female prostitutes in circumstances where the other person is  (a) a receptionist,  (b) also working as a prostitute,  (c) working as a prostitute on the same premises,  (d) a partner or a flatmate who shares premises with the prostitute,  (e) a landlord letting the premises where the prostitute is working and  (f) a dependant.

Alan Campbell: We have announced our intention to include the offence of controlling a prostitute for gain in the forthcoming Policing and Crime Bill, which will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows. An explanation of the intended application of this offence will be given during the passage of this Bill.

Prostitution

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration she has given to the application of the definition of a prostitute controlled for another person's gain to male and female prostitutes in circumstances where the prostitute has voluntarily entered into a working relationship with another person.

Alan Campbell: We have announced our intention to include the offence of controlling a prostitute for gain in the forthcoming Policing and Crime Bill, which will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows. An explanation of the intended application of this offence will be given during the passage of this Bill.

Prostitution

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of prostitutes working in the UK who are  (a) women,  (b) men,  (c) under the age of 16 years,  (d) addicted to drugs,  (e) homeless,  (f) supporting dependants and  (g) working for another person's gain; on what research her estimates are based; and if she will place in the Library a copy of the research.

Alan Campbell: This information is not available.

Prostitution: Age

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the average age of a person working as a prostitute in the UK; on what research her estimate is based; and if she will place in the Library a copy of the research.

Alan Campbell: This information is not available.

Prostitution: Public Consultation

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration she gave to conducting a public consultation as part of her review of the demand for prostitution; and whether she plans to conduct a public consultation on the recommendations of the review.

Alan Campbell: The review of tackling the demand for prostitution engaged with key stakeholders and practitioners, including the police and the Crown Prosecution Service as well as a variety of organisations that provide support to individuals involved in prostitution, and considered a range of evidence from a number of sources. There are no plans to conduct a public consultation on the recommendations of the review.

Theft

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of  (a) theft and  (b) burglary have been reported in (i) the UK, (ii) the North East, (iii) Tees Valley district and (iv) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each year since 1997.

Alan Campbell: The available information relates to offences of theft and burglary recorded by the police. Figures for England and Wales and the North East region are given in the following tables. The Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency comes within the Middlesbrough basic command unit for which these data are only available from 2000-01. Data for Tees Valley are not available.
	
		
			  Table 1: Offences of theft and burglary recorded by the police, 1997 
			  Number of offences 
			   1997 
			  Area  Theft  Burglary 
			 England and Wales 2,164,952 1,015,075 
			 North East Region 112,327 63,225 
			 Middlesbrough n/a n/a 
			 n/a = Not available. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Offences of theft and burglary recorded by the police, 1998-99 to 2001-02 
			  Number of offences 
			   1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02 
			  Area  Theft  Burglary  Theft  Burglary  Theft  Burglary  Theft  Burglary 
			 England and Wales 2,191,439 953,184 2,223,620 906,468 2,145,372 836,027 2,266,964 878,509 
			 North East Region 114,392 58,286 92,697 51,163 101,175 47,619 103,315 48,626 
			 Middlesbrough n/a n/a n/a n/a 12,378 6,340 13,068 7,163 
			 n/a = Not available.  Notes: 1. The coverage was extended and counting rules revised from 1998-99. Figures from that date are not directly comparable with those for 1997. 2. The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Offences of theft and burglary recorded by the police, 2002-03 to 2007-08 
			  Number of offences 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			  Area  Theft  Burglary  Theft  Burglary  Theft  Burglary 
			 England and Wales(1) 2,411,583 890,099 2,312,890 820,013 2,067,728 680,358 
			 North East Region 106,434 45,216 98,763 40,561 87,149 33,032 
			 Middlesbrough 12,148 5,405 9,846 4,299 10,605 3,326 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of offences 
			   2005 -0 6  2006 -0 7  2007 -0 8 
			  Area  Theft  Burglary  Theft  Burglary  Theft  Burglary 
			 England and Wales(1) 2,019,013 645,068 1,945,817 622,012 1,777,653 583,699 
			 North East Region 84,690 29,971 80,258 28,724 75,153 24,935 
			 Middlesbrough 9,679 3,329 8,863 2,619 8,160 2,926 
			 (1) Includes British Transport police from 2002-03 onwards.  Note: The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard In April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

Theft: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) vehicle thefts and  (b) domestic burglaries there were in (i) Southampton, (ii) Test Valley Borough and (iii) the ceremonial county of Hampshire in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The available information is given in the following tables and relates to the Southampton and Test Valley Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) areas and the Hampshire police force area.
	
		
			  Table 1: Offences of theft of a vehicle recorded by the police. 2003-04 to 2007-08 
			  Number of offences 
			  Offence  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Southampton CDRP 1,433 1,176 1,024 1,039 810 
			 Test Valley CDRP 213 160 174 217 171 
			 Hampshire 5,822 4,871 4,394 4,726 4,060 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Offences of domestic burglary recorded by the police. 2003-04 to 2007-08 
			  Number of offences 
			  Offence  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Southampton CDRP 1,324 829 988 860 998 
			 Test Valley CDRP 311 241 299 256 279 
			 Hampshire 7,030 5,415 5,810 5,451 5,300

Violent and Sex Offender Register: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sex offenders were registered in Essex in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The number of registered sex offenders living in Essex in five years is represented in the following table as reported in the annual MAPPA reports for Essex.
	
		
			  Number of registered sex offenders in Essex 
			   Number 
			 2003-04 542 
			 2004-05 680 
			 2005-06 802 
			 2006-07 735 
			 2007-08 735 
		
	
	Figures are as recorded in the annual MAPPA reports for Essex.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools constructed under the Building Schools for the Future programme have been the subject of a post-occupancy evaluation.

Jim Knight: The Strategic Partnering Agreement between a local authority and their private sector partner (PSP) requires the PSP to carry out an evaluation of every school that is built one year after opening in order to demonstrate customer satisfaction. The methodology is to use the DQI-design quality indicator 'in use' tool to capture customer views.
	All major school projects, including those constructed within Building Schools for the Future, are required to undergo an environmental assessment using BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method). This method now includes a post-construction review which compares an assessment of the environmental impact of the school as constructed against impact as designed.
	DCSF and Partnerships for Schools are exploring what other data it would be useful to collect, particularly 'hard' environmental data to evaluate how schools are performing against the 60 per cent. carbon reduction target. PfS is planning to pilot the broader approach before the end of the current financial year.
	To date, Bristol Brunel Academy has carried out a DQI 'in use' exercise.

Children in Care

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families in which schools more than 2 per cent. of pupils were children in care in the latest period for which figures are available.

Beverley Hughes: The requested information has been placed in the Library.
	The Department's main source of information on children in care is the Children Looked After Survey, but this does not record which schools pupils attend. However, information on whether a pupil is in care is also collected via the School Census. The most recent census data relate to January 2008.
	This census shows that there were 34,390 pupils aged five to 19 attending primary, secondary and special schools classed as being in care as at January 2008. Data published by the Department as SFR 23/2008: Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2008, show 47,600 children aged between five and 19 as being looked after as at 31 March 2008. However the School Census does not cover all looked after children; information is not collected for pupils in alternative provision, including pupil referral units, FE colleges, voluntary provision and those not in education or training. These differences in coverage will explain the different counts to an extent, but it is possible that the School Census undercounts the number of looked after children in primary, secondary and special schools.

Children: Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether any of the Ofsted inspectors who undertook the recent inspection of Haringey child protection services took part in the  (a) 2007 Annual Performance Assessment and  (b) 2006 Joint Area Review.

Beverley Hughes: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Library.

Children: Protection

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children were on the Child Protection Register in each region in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Children who were the subject of a Child Protection Plan (CPP)( 1, 2) , years at 31 March 1997 to 2008, coverage: Government Office Region in England 
			   England  North East  North West  Yorkshire and the Humber  East Midlands  West Midlands  East of England  London  South East  South West 
			  Subject of a CPP at 31 March   
			  Number:   
			 1997 32,400 2,250 4,245 4,960 3,265 3,390 2,465 5,025 3,845 2,920 
			 1998 31,600 2,155 3,965 4,485 3,145 3,565 2,800 4,995 3,660 2,875 
			 1999 31,900 2,165 4,205 4,015 3,095 3,760 3,080 4,900 3,815 2,845 
			 2000 30,300 2,105 4,050 3,390 3,135 3,600 2,865 4,810 3,835 2,485 
			 2001 26,800 1,835 3,245 2,885 2,640 3,130 2,595 4,625 3,720 2,155 
			 2002 25,700 1,935 3,390 2,850 2,370 2,995 2,490 4,500 3,105 2,095 
			 2003 26,600 1,920 3,795 2,870 2,485 2,960 2,520 4,600 3,220 2,105 
			 2004 26,300 1,770 3,470 2,950 2,280 3,010 2,480 4,770 3,375 2,150 
			 2005 25,900 1,715 3,440 2,730 2,125 3,330 2,450 4,650 3,500 1,980 
			 2006 26,400 1,615 3,375 2,830 2,275 3,305 2,600 4,745 3,540 2,085 
			 2007 27,900 1,785 3,565 2,730 2,525 3,480 2,620 4,955 3,880 2,330 
			 2008 29,200 1,980 3,980 2,835 2,410 3,475 2,745 5,210 4,210 2,345 
			
			  Rate per 10,000 children aged under 18 years:   
			 1997 29 37 n/a 42 34 27 20 31 22 28 
			 1998 28 36 25 38 33 28 23 31 20 27 
			 1999 28 37 26 34 33 30 25 30 21 27 
			 2000 27 36 25 29 33 29 23 29 21 23 
			 2001 24 32 20 25 28 25 21 28 20 20 
			 2002 23 33 21 25 25 24 20 27 17 20 
			 2003 24 35 24 25 26 24 21 29 18 21 
			 2004 24 32 23 26 24 25 20 29 19 20 
			 2005 23 31 22 24 23 27 30 29 20 19 
			 2006 24 24 22 25 24 27 21 29 20 20 
			 2007 25 33 24 24 27 29 21 31 22 22 
			 2008 27 37 27 25 26 29 22 32 23 22 
			 n/a = Not available. (1) England figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Government Office Region figures are rounded to the nearest 5. (2) Figures include unborn children. 
		
	
	The latest figures on the numbers and percentage of children subject to Child Protection Plans or placed on the Child Protection Register were published in a Statistical First Release (SFR) 24/2008 "Referrals, Assessments and Children and Young People who are the subject of a Child Protection Plan, England—Year ending 31 March 2008" on 16 September 2008. A copy of this release is available on my Department's website:
	www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway

Christmas

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department has spent on Christmas  (a) cards,  (b) parties and  (c) decorations in the last 12 months.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: In the last 12 months, the Department spent  (a) £2,653 on Christmas cards and  (c) £460 on a Christmas tree at its headquarters building. The Department does not fund  (b) Christmas parties.

Dartmouth Community College

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will bring forward the timetable for the rebuilding of Dartmouth Community College from 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Following a public consultation on the management of Waves 7 to 15 of BSF in the summer, I announced in September our aim to start all local authorities into BSF as soon as is practicable, with an initial priority project covering four to five schools. All local authorities were invited to submit an expression of interest (EoI) on this basis and Devon was active in consulting Partnerships for Schools prior to submitting its EoI. We are now working with Partnerships for Schools to prioritise expressions of interest in line with our published guidance, and I aim to announce the revised national programme early next year.

Departmental Aviation

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend, East of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 477W, on departmental air travel, if he will place in the Library figures for 2007-08.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The spend for the Department for Children, Schools and Families for departmental air travel for the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 was £235,186.

Departmental Higher Education

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many staff in his Department undertook courses funded by the Department for  (a) undergraduate degrees,  (b) postgraduate degrees or diplomas,  (c) Masters degrees,  (d) MBA degrees and  (e) PhD degrees in the last 12 months, broken down by pay band.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department does not collect this information centrally in the form requested. Information on the number of staff taking degree or diploma courses funded by the Department is held locally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The criteria for funding degree or diploma courses will be driven by Professional Skills for Government.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much has been spent on  (a) departmental Christmas parties and  (b) staff entertainment in each year since his Department's formation.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: This Department does not fund  (a) departmental Christmas parties or  (b) staff entertainment.

Departmental Public Consultation

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families on which occasions his Department has convened a citizens' jury or randomly drawn panel of people to aid the Department's policy making since 2000; whether the participants were paid in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department for Children, Schools and Families conducted its only citizens' jury in 2007 and followed this with 11 related deliberative debates to ensure that the views of parents and young people were reflected in the development and implementation of the Children's Plan.
	The Department organised a citizen's jury at Bristol Brunel Academy on 6 September 2007. 38 people participated, including children, young people and teachers from the academy; and parents and local practitioners working with children.
	The Department followed this citizens' jury with three sets of deliberative debates with members of the public and education professionals.
	The first set of deliberative debates was held on Saturday 29 September 2007, with four events running simultaneously in London, Leeds, Portsmouth and Birmingham. These events formed part of the consultative process for the Children's Plan. Around 400 young people, parents, teachers and those working with children and young people were involved.
	The second set was held on 8 March 2008, with four events again running in London, Leeds, Portsmouth and Birmingham. The events focused on policy areas in the Children's Plan. Around 240 people attended, including parents, young people and educational professionals.
	The last set took place on 13 September 2008. The events were held in London, Leeds and Birmingham and were attended by around 300 people including parents, local practitioners and representatives of stakeholder organisations. The themes discussed were Parents as Partners in Learning; the Childcare Strategy and Parental Complaints.
	Participants were not paid to attend the citizens' jury but were paid a small sum to attend the deliberative events to cover out of pocket expenses.
	It is not possible to establish a definitive figure for juries or panels from predecessor Departments.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department has spent on the expenses of  (a) Ministers and  (b) civil servants in each of the last three years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Details of expenses incurred by Ministers and civil servants in the Department for Children, Schools and Families in the last three financial years are set out as follows:
	
		
			  Ministers and civil servants 
			   £ 
			 2007-08 1,072,411 
			 2006-07(1) 1,155,876 
			 2005-06(1) 1,345,661 
			 (1) Figures for 2006-07 and 2005-06 refer to the former Department for Education and Skills. 
		
	
	Travel and subsistence (reimbursable expenses) is claimed via the Department's integrated financial information system and is recorded under the general heading of 'Subsistence'. Ministers' expenses are not brigaded separately on the Department's accounting system and are included in the aforementioned totals.
	The Department for Children, Schools and Families was created on 28 June 2007 as a result of a machinery of government change and the aforementioned expenditure recorded includes that of its predecessor Department, the Department for Education and Skills.
	All expenditure is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in "Government Accounting". All travel undertaken by DCSF civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the "Civil Service Management Code".

Departmental Temporary Employment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the answer of 27 October 2008,  Official Report, column 705W, on departmental temporary employment, how many staff were recruited through each company in each year; and for how long on average staff recruited through these companies worked for the Department in each year.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: In the Department, the number of people who have been employed through the agencies in each year are as follows:
	
		
			   Adecco  Reed  Hays  Total 
			 July 2007 to December 2007 33 22 43 98 
			 January 2008 to October 2008 0 76 87 163 
			 Total 33 98 130 261 
		
	
	Information on the average duration of appointments could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans his Department has to alter the education maintenance allowance system following the introduction of requirements for 16 to 18-year-olds to remain in education or training.

Jim Knight: As published in the Delivering 14-19 Reform: Next Steps document
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/1419/documents/7928DCSF Delivering%201419%20Reform%20Summary.pdf
	some young people will always require support to help them overcome any barriers—financial or otherwise—to participation. We must ensure that financial constraints are not a barrier for young people. This will entail providing support to those who need it and we are looking at a variety of methods to ensure that this is done in the most effective way. This will include building on the education maintenance allowance, which from September this year links financial support more closely to attainment and behaviour. We will continue to look at ways of supporting all young people to enable them to participate.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effect on the economy of the introduction of education maintenance allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Assessing the economic impact of EMA is not simple but our analysis of the education maintenance allowance shows that the expected economic benefits far outweigh the costs. For the first cohort of recipients in the national rollout in 2004-05, evaluation evidence suggests that an extra 18,000 16-year-olds participated in full-time education than would have done so without EMA and an extra 16,000 participated at age 17. This is estimated to have generated an additional 10,100 Level 2 and 11,900 Level 3 qualifications being gained by the age of 18. Based on these benefits, our best estimate of the net benefit to the economy from supporting this cohort is around £880 million over the lifetime of these individuals. Given the range of assumptions that are necessary in carrying out such as assessment, our estimate should be seen as indicative.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will consider assessing eligibility for education maintenance allowance on the basis of net rather than gross family income.

Jim Knight: The education maintenance allowance (EMA) has had the biggest impact on participation of any policy initiative in over a decade. From 2003-04 to 2004-05 the national participation rate for 16-year-olds in full-time education increased by 3.7 percentage points, exceeding expectations. EMA was one of the key policies aimed at increasing participation and has been a major contributor to this increase. One of the factors that has contributed to the success of EMA has been its simplicity. There are a range of alternatives to using gross income to assess eligibility for EMA, including using net income. All of these have various advantages and disadvantages. We currently believe that out of the available options for assessing eligibility for EMA, the simplicity of using gross income is preferable.

Education: Finance

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families to which organisation it is proposed that  (a) sixth form colleges,  (b) further education colleges and  (c) schools should be able to appeal against a funding decision in regard to education provision for 16 to 18-year-olds taken by (i) a local authority and (ii) a sub-regional group under the proposals set out in the Raising Expectations White Paper.

Jim Knight: The new arrangements are designed to more closely follow learner choice and ensure that the outcomes for young people are delivered in a more integrated manner with local authorities acting as the strategic commissioners for children's services for children aged 0 to 19. They will need to work collaboratively with other local authorities, schools and colleges to shape the offer to young people across the country and to deliver these commissioning decisions.
	As now, there will be a dialogue between commissioners and those to be commissioned about what can be delivered for young people, informed by the previous year's performance. These discussions will then inform local and regional commissioning plans that will be scrutinised, at a regional level, by the proposed Young People's Learning Agency to ensure overall coherence and budgetary control.
	DCSF officials are working with local authority, school and college representatives to establish whether any appeals processes are required and, if so, how they would operate. In principle we would expect any appeal to be directed in the first instance to the local authority making the funding decision, though this would have to be balanced with the bureaucracy that any process of appeals might generate.
	We have set out in the "Delivering 14-19 Reform: Next Steps" document, that local authorities will make the funding decisions in relation to education provision for 16 to 18-year-olds. Sub-regional groups will not, therefore, make specific funding decisions in relation to individual providers.

Education: ICT

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what representations he has received from teaching organisations on the potential risks arising from the use of wireless technology; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: In the last two years, one representation has been received from a teaching organisation. The General Secretary of the Professional Association of Teachers (PAT) wrote expressing concern about the use of wireless technology. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has stated that there is no reason why wi-fi should not be used in schools.

Educational Institutions: Crimes of Violence

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of teachers working in  (a) West Chelmsford constituency,  (b) Essex and  (c) England who were subject to physical attack in the workplace in 2008;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of physical attacks against people working in education in West Chelmsford constituency in 2008.

Beverley Hughes: The requested information is not collected centrally.
	Information about the number of permanent and fixed period exclusions as a result of a physical assault against an adult was published in Statistical First Release (SFR) 14/2008 "Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusions from Schools in England 2006/07", available on my Department's website:
	www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/.

Free School Meals

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of pupils is entitled to free school meals in each secondary school which does not have specialist status; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The requested information has been placed in the Library.

Further Education: Sittingbourne

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what commitments he has received from the Learning and Skills Council on the provision of a further education college for Sittingbourne.

Si�n Simon: I have been asked to reply.
	The Secretary of State has not received any commitments from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for a new further education (FE) college in Sittingbourne. Although the LSC and local partners have identified a need for some additional FE provision in Sittingbourne, there is insufficient demand for a new FE college.
	Canterbury College, together with Swale borough council, is investigating whether there is scope for the college to have an additional presence in the area as part of the town's regeneration plans. If the college concludes this to be appropriate, it will consult locally before putting a case to the LSC for consideration. In the event of a proposal for an existing college to locate a new site in Sittingbourne, the Secretary of State has no role in the decision.

GCSE: North Yorkshire

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of eligible pupils passed at least five GCSEs in Vale of York constituency in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: Readily available information on the percentage of eligible pupils in Vale of York constituency achieving five or more GCSEs is given in the following table:
	
		
			  Percentage gaining five or more grades A*-G at GCSEs 
			   Percentage 
			 1997 96.5 
			 1998 97.4 
			 1999 96.8 
			 2000 97.4 
			 2001 97 
			 2002 97.6 
			 2003 95.6 
			 2004 98 
			 2005 98.5 
			 2006 97.9 
			 2007 98.9 
			  Notes: 1. Data from 1997 to 2006 are based on 15-year-old pupils at the start of the academic year. The 2007 figure is based on pupils at the end of KS4. 2. Data from 2004 to 2007 include equivalents.

GCSEs

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what percentage of children in the 10 per cent.  (a) most and  (b) least deprived areas received (i) at least five GCSEs at A* to C including English and mathematics in 2008, (ii) level 5 or above at key stage 3 in 2006,  (c) level 4 or above at key stage 2 in 2003 and (iv) level 2 or above at key stage 1 in 1999;
	(2)  what percentage of children on  (a) free school meals and  (b) not on free school meals received (i) at least five GCSEs at A* - C including English and mathematics in 2008, (ii) level 5 or above at key stage 3 in 2006, (iv) level 4 or above at key stage 2 in 2003 and (iv) level 2 or above at key stage 1 in 1999;
	(3)  how many pupils eligible for free school meals who  (a) obtained and  (b) did not obtain level 4 in key stage 2 tests in 2003 did not obtain (i) five GCSEs at A*to C and (ii) five GCSEs at A* to C including English and mathematics;
	(4)  how many and what proportion of pupils registered as gifted and talented did not sit at least one A-level examination in 2008.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Some information on attainment by pupil characteristics has been published in the Statistical First Release, DCSF: National Curriculum Assessment, GCSE and Equivalent Attainment and Post-16 Attainment by Pupil Characteristics, in England 2007/08 on 11 December. Additional information by pupil characteristics will be produced after that date.

GCSEs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many gifted and talented pupils  (a) in care and  (b) not in care who obtained level 4 or above in key stage 2 tests in 2003 did not obtain five GCSEs at A* to C in 2007;
	(2)  how many pupils  (a) in care and  (b) not in care who (i) obtained and (ii) did not obtain level 4 in key stage 2 tests in 2003 did not obtain five GCSEs at A* to C in 2007.

Jim Knight: The OC2 data collection collects information on a range of outcomes for looked after children from local authorities. This information has been published in the Statistical First Release Outcome Indicators for Children Looked After, Twelve months to 30 September 2007England (SFR 08/2008), which is available on the Department's website via the following link:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000785/index.shtml.
	Information on attainment in schools can be found in tables B and C which show the number at each key stage and, of those, the number and percentage achieving the expected level. The OC2 is an aggregate data collection and it is therefore not possible to link the achievements of looked after children at key stage 2 to those at key stage 4.

Geography: GCE A Level

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the answer of 16 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 1502-3W, on schools: assessments, which mainstream schools did not enter any pupils for A-level geography.

Jim Knight: The information required is given as follows.
	Only schools that were published in the 2007 School and College Achievement and Attainment Tables have been given.
	
		
			  Maintained mainstream schools that did not enter any pupils into GCE A-level Geography in 2006-07 
			Number of 16-18 year olds( 1) 
			 2034130 Plumstead ManorNegus School 577 
			 2044686 The Skinners' Company's School for Girls 152 
			 2064108 Highbury Grove School 133 
			 2064614 Central Foundation Boys' School 76 
			 2084509 Charles Edward Brooke School 88 
			 2085400 La Retraite Roman Catholic Girls' School 139 
			 2085403 Archbishop Tenison's School 36 
			 2085404 St Martin in the Fields High School for Girls 140 
			 2104680 St Saviour's and St Olave's Church of England School 125 
			 2106905 City of London Academy (Southwark) 51 
			 2106906 The Academy at Peckham 133 
			 2114242 Mulberry School for Girls 356 
			 2114507 Central Foundation Girls' School 231 
			 2114722 Sir John Cass Foundation and Redcoat Church of England Secondary School 335 
			 2124297 Ernest Bevin College 187 
			 2124329 Battersea Technology College 62 
			 2126900 ADT College 184 
			 2134723 St Augustine's C of E High School 107 
			 2136905 Paddington Academy 202 
			 3014024 Eastbury Comprehensive School 217 
			 3024009 The Ravenscroft Schoola technology college 92 
			 3024012 Whitefield School 147 
			 3026905 London Academy 311 
			 3034022 Erith School 235 
			 3034603 Trinity School, Belvedere 86 
			 3036905 The Business Academy Bexley 90 
			 3044006 Wembley High Technology College 180 
			 3045401 Coplanda specialist science community college 604 
			 3045404 Convent of Jesus and Mary Language College 131 
			 3045407 Cardinal Hinsley Mathematics and Computing College 44 
			 3045408 John Kelly Boys' Technology College 134 
			 3054002 Cator Park School 209 
			 3066900 BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology 582 
			 3076905 West London Academy 112 
			 3084038 Lea Valley High School 112 
			 3084041 Salisbury School 124 
			 3084043 Highlands School 192 
			 3084702 Bishop Stopford's School 152 
			 3085402 Albany School 190 
			 3094034 Woodside High School, a business and enterprise specialist school 68 
			 3094037 Park View Academy 64 
			 3094703 St Thomas More Catholic School 172 
			 3096905 Greig City Academy 114 
			 3124654 Guru Nanak Sikh Voluntary Aided Secondary School 72 
			 3125406 Rosedale College 159 
			 3125409 Abbotsfield School 78 
			 3125410 Swakeleys School 159 
			 3125412 Barnhill Community High School 151 
			 3126905 Stockley Academy 67 
			 3134021 Hounslow Manor School 100 
			 3134022 Longford Community School 176 
			 3134024 Brentford School for Girls 114 
			 3145403 Coombe Boys' School 93 
			 3174027 Loxford School of Science and Technology 293 
			 3174029 Woodbridge High School 299 
			 3174035 Mayfield School 235 
			 3174605 Ilford Ursuline High School 155 
			 3194011 Glenthorne High School 150 
			 3206905 Walthamstow Academy 2 
			 3304084 Washwood Heath Technology College 113 
			 3304129 Dame Elizabeth Cadbury Technology College 65 
			 3304207 Handsworth Wood Girls' Visual and Performing Arts Specialist College and Sixth Form Centre 51 
			 3304227 Broadway School 143 
			 3305412 George Dixon International School and Sixth Form Centre 185 
			 3314000 Barr's Hill School and Community College 74 
			 3314029 Foxford School and Community Arts College 135 
			 3314030 Lyng Hall School 65 
			 3314038 Sidney Stringer Schoolspecialising in mathematics and computing 145 
			 3325401 Ellowes Hall Sports College 63 
			 3334120 Tividale Community Arts College 74 
			 3335400 Manor Foundation Business and Sports College 74 
			 3354016 Frank F Harrison Engineering College 87 
			 3354017 Alumwell Business and Enterprise College 164 
			 3354100 Darlaston Community Science College 114 
			 3354105 Willenhall School Sports College 195 
			 3354107 Sneyd Community School 105 
			 3355401 St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall 247 
			 3364106 The Northicote School 117 
			 3364115 Deansfield High School 96 
			 3364129 Pendeford Business and Enterprise College 99 
			 3364130 Wednesfield High School 149 
			 3364131 Parkfield High School 108 
			 3364133 Colton Hills Community School 170 
			 3364606 Our Lady and St Chad Catholic Sports College 122 
			 3404609 All Saints Catholic High School 152 
			 3414404 Holly Lodge Girls' College 176 
			 3414419 Shorefields School 53 
			 3414421 The Alsop High School Technology College and Vocational Specialist School 257 
			 3414423 Croxteth Community Comprehensive School 91 
			 3414425 Broadgreen High Schoola technology college 164 
			 3414428 New Heys Comprehensive School 129 
			 3414781 Archbishop Blanch Church of England Voluntary Aided High Schoola technology and training school 195 
			 3414787 Bellerive FCJ Catholic College 145 
			 3414788 St Benedict's College 114 
			 3416906 North Liverpool Academy 156 
			 3424710 St Aelred's Catholic Technology College 160 
			 3434802 St Michael's Church of England High School 88 
			 3444071 South Wirral High School 144 
			 3524257 Whalley Range 11-18 High School and Business and Enterprise College 297 
			 3554018 Beis Yaakov High School 6 
			 3714020 North Doncaster Technology College 179 
			 3714029 Don Valley School and Performing Arts College 210 
			 3714607 Rossington All Saints Church of England (VA) Schoola sports college 145 
			 3716905 Trinity Academy 120 
			 3804001 Buttershaw Business and Enterprise College 160 
			 3804022 Belle Vue Boys' School 98 
			 3804034 Rhodesway School 206 
			 3804036 Tong School 176 
			 3804041 Belle Vue Girls' School 193 
			 3804077 Nab Wood School 133 
			 3804101 Grange Technology College 295 
			 3804613 Feversham College 96 
			 3805404 Laisterdyke Business and Enterprise College 136 
			 3814024 Sowerby Bridge High School 114 
			 3814026 Todmorden High School 95 
			 3814036 The Ridings School 27 
			 3834031 City of Leeds School 44 
			 3834044 Primrose High School 52 
			 3834045 John Smeaton Community High School 99 
			 3834054 Intake High School Arts College 84 
			 3834056 Farnley Park High School 70 
			 3834057 Wortley High School 65 
			 3834058 West Leeds High School 99 
			 3834059 Parklands Girls' High School 90 
			 3834103 Rodillian School 136 
			 3904605 Cardinal Hume Catholic School 93 
			 3914450 Walker Technology College 140 
			 3914480 Benfield School 136 
			 3914500 All Saints College 91 
			 8014032 Brislington Enterprise College 62 
			 8034124 Sir Bernard Lovell School 165 
			 8034149 The Grange School and Sports College 72 
			 8124503 Matthew Humberstone Church of England School 84 
			 8134091 Vale of Ancholme Technology College 55 
			 8134491 Baysgarth School 62 
			 8154203 Ripon College 55 
			 8254001 Highcrest Community School 76 
			 8254072 Cressex Community School 73 
			 8254074 Burnham Upper School 43 
			 8254701 St Bernard's Catholic School 94 
			 8264085 Sir Frank Markham Community School 95 
			 8304001 Mortimer Wilson School 72 
			 8315403 Merrill College 121 
			 8354178 The Grange School 84 
			 8364111 Rossmore Community College 62 
			 8364112 Ashdown Technology College 32 
			 8374189 Oakmead College of Technology 135 
			 8404154 Spennymoor Comprehensive School 103 
			 8404178 King James I Community Arts College 111 
			 8454058 The Grove 66 
			 8454073 Filsham Valley School 41 
			 8464067 Blatchington Mill School and Sixth Form College 163 
			 8564005 New College Leicester 53 
			 8604066 Norton Canes High School 37 
			 8604084 Maryhill High School 73 
			 8604156 Belgrave High School 103 
			 8674030 The Brakenhale School 39 
			 8674058 Sandhurst School 95 
			 8714082 Baylis Court School 72 
			 8714089 Wexham School 137 
			 8715409 The Westgate School 67 
			 8734004 Impington Village College 270 
			 8754129 Woodford Lodge High School 30 
			 8754130 The Verdin High School 48 
			 8754161 Ellesmere Port Specialist School of Performing Arts 90 
			 8754165 Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School 177 
			 8774201 Penketh High School 110 
			 8794189 Tamarside Community College 190 
			 8794190 Stoke Damerel Community College 272 
			 8814735 St Peters College 81 
			 8815406 Beauchamps High School 77 
			 8815407 The Bromfords School 86 
			 8815412 The Rickstones School 76 
			 8815453 The Harwich Schoola language college 120 
			 8825414 The Eastwood School (11-18) 81 
			 8825465 St Bernard's High School and Arts College 117 
			 8864059 Swadelands School 85 
			 8864065 Holmesdale Technology College 64 
			 8864091 The Community College Whitstable 105 
			 8864172 Hartsdown Technology College 117 
			 8864196 The Towers School 272 
			 8864207 Castle Community College 52 
			 8864219 Hextable School 91 
			 8864242 The Abbey School 111 
			 8865410 Aylesford Schoolsports college 89 
			 8865417 Minster College 195 
			 8865419 Angley Schoola sports college 134 
			 8865421 The Canterbury High School 198 
			 8865425 The Malling School 13 
			 8865448 Herne Bay High School 196 
			 8865456 Northfleet Technology College 79 
			 8865466 Brockhill Park Performing Arts College 159 
			 8874075 The Hundred of Hoo Comprehensive School 176 
			 8874076 Chapter School 212 
			 8874167 Walderslade Girls' School 76 
			 8875429 Chatham Grammar School for Girls 254 
			 8884408 Fleetwood Sports College 2 
			 8914008 Kirkby College 52 
			 8914106 Wheldon School and Sports College 81 
			 8914462 Sherwood Hall School and Sixth Form College 99 
			 8926905 Djanogly City Academy Nottingham 226 
			 9094104 Netherhall School 95 
			 9095400 Kirkbie Kendal School 175 
			 9095408 North Cumbria Technology College 31 
			 9164039 Vale of Berkeley College 7 
			 9194029 Adeyfield School 101 
			 9194111 Westfield Community Technology College 136 
			 9194116 Marriotts School 68 
			 9194117 The Sele School 61 
			 9194154 Onslow St Audrey's School 54 
			 9195409 Bushey Hall School 122 
			 9195411 Mount Grace School 160 
			 9195427 Hockerill Anglo-European College 162 
			 9254036 The City of Lincoln Community College 112 
			 9254056 Cordeaux School 74 
			 9254609 St Clements College 103 
			 9255414 Joseph Ruston Technology College 11 
			 9255423 The Giles School 136 
			 9264048 Charles Burrell High School 77 
			 9264067 Heartsease High School 43 
			 9284067 Weston Favell School 185 
			 9284103 Unity College 78 
			 9284703 Thomas Becket Catholic School 107 
			 9314074 Peers School 47 
			 9314117 Oxford Community School 193 
			 9314145 St Gregory the Great VA Catholic Secondary School 131 
			 9334274 Holyrood Community School 124 
			 9354038 Orwell High School 107 
			 9354066 The Denes High School 137 
			 9354095 Westbourne Sports College 173 
			 9364028 Christ's College, Guilford 67 
			 9364763 The Bishop Wand Church of England School 102 
			 9365411 St Paul's Catholic College 109 
			 9374103 Nicholas Chamberlaine Technology College 184 
			 9374192 Campion School and Community College 78 
			 9384030 Ifield Community College 184 
			 9384044 Thomas Bennett Community College 173 
			 (1) Age at start of academic year, i.e. 31 August 2006.

Ofsted: Standards

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the oral evidence given by the Chief Executive of Ofsted to the Children, Schools and Families Committee on 10 December, HC 70-i, if his Department will review the performance of Ofsted senior management and make changes where appropriate.

Jim Knight: Ofsted is a non-ministerial Government Department. Performance management of the chief inspector is the responsibility of the Ofsted Board and in particular the chairman. The performance of other Ofsted senior managers is the responsibility of the chief inspector.

Pre-school Education

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps the Government have taken to improve children's pre-school cognitive development in  (a) England,  (b) the North East,  (c) the Tees Valley district and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency since 1997.

Beverley Hughes: In 1998 the Government published Desirable Learning Outcomes that included goals for learning (including on early literacy, numeracy and the development of personal and social skills) for children by the time they entered compulsory education. In 2000, the Qualification and Curriculum Authority published Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage, which contains six areas of learning, 69 Early Learning Goals, and stepping stones to achieve them for children aged three to five year. For younger children Birth to three matters was published in 2002. It focuses on child development, and includes four themes: a Strong Child, a Skilful Communicator, a Competent Learner and a Healthy Child.
	In September this year the Government published the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, which brought together the previous early learning frameworks and sets quality standards for learning (including cognitive development) and care for all settings caring for children aged birth to five.
	In the north-east the National Strategies have provided support to local authorities and developed a set of materials to help practitioners to support children's social development through Social and Emotional Aspects of Development (SEAD) programme.
	The Government have also introduced the Every Child a Talker (ECAT) programmewhich will give practitioners easier access to training and materials so that they are better equipped to identify and support children's early language needs and development. In addition we have introduced the Communication, Language and Literacy Development (CLLD) programme which aims to support practitioners with children's early reading, development of speaking and listening skills and to embed phonic work within a broad and rich language curriculum. The NE region has eight out of 12 local authorities in the first wave of the ECAT programme and 12 are in the CLLD programme.

Primary Education

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate his Department has made of the number of primary schools in England in  (a) hamlets and isolated settings,  (b) villages,  (c) towns and fringe settlements and  (d) settlements of more than 10,000 inhabitants in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: The requested information is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of primary schools by urban rural classification 
			   2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Hamlet and Isolated Dwelling 695 693 687 685 681 
			 Village 2,765 2,758 2,753 2,741 2,727 
			 Town and Fringe 1,864 1,863 1,857 1,849 1,840 
			 Urban 10,000 12,443 12,331 12,209 12,088 11,959 
			 Total 17,767 17,645 17,506 17,363 17,207 
			  Source: School Census.

School Leaving: Qualifications

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of pupils in  (a) Wiltshire,  (b) London and  (c) England reached the end of compulsory schooling without a qualification in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The information requested is shown in the following table. The data are taken from the last five years' GCSE and Equivalent Results in England Statistical First Release, the latest of which can be found online at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000815/index.shtml.
	
		
			  Proportion of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 achieving no GCSE or equivalent passes 
			   2004( 1)  2005  2006  2007  2008( 4) 
			 Wiltshire(2) 3.0 2.6 2.6 2.0 1.3 
			 London(2) 4.2 2.7 2.5 2.0 1.9 
			 England(3) 4.2 2.6 2.2 1.1 1.4 
			 (1) 2004 figures include pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year. (2) Figures for Wiltshire and London include pupils in local authority maintained schools only. (3) Figures for England include all schools. (4) Provisional

Schools: Co-operation

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what resources his Department makes available to support school partnerships and collaborations; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department supports a number of school partnerships and collaborations. The following table details the key policies which either promote or leverage collaborative working. It includes the cost of those programmes last year in terms of the financial resources either passed directly to schools or LAs (in part or in full) to support partnership working, or the cost of contracts which provide support to schools or LAs (in part or in full) for partnership working. Likewise, it details the financial resources that the Department expects to make available this year to schools or LAs (in part or in full) to support partnership working, or the expected cost of contracts the Department will make available (in part or in full) to support schools or LAs to work in partnership.
	Our vision of 21st century schools is ambitious. No single school working alone will be able to deliver its key components. To improve the lives of children, young people, families and the wider local community, schools will need to work in partnership with children and young people; with parents; with other schools and colleges; with early years providers; and with wider services. Our consultation paper published yesterday considers the 21st century school system and how we can ensure deeper, more consistent and more effective partnership working and collaborations.
	
		
			  Partnership policy  Purpose  Resources available in 2007-08  Resources available in 2008-09 
			 0-7 Partnerships The Children's Plan (paragraph 4.50) announced a new initiative to pilot partnership working between schools, Sure Start Children's Centres, early years and childcare providers and the health service across the 0-7 age range. The aims of the 0-7 Partnerships pilots are to develop and assess different models of partnership and joint working to see how they can improve children's early experiences. These have a huge impact on their later development and achievement and can have an influence on what they do and how they behave throughout their lives. n/a 10 pilots, at least one for every English region, were selected in summer 2008. 2 million has been made available for 2008/9 (out of 10m total funding for the three years 2008-11). 
			  The pilots are designed to:   
			  raise quality;   
			  improve links between settings and services;   
			  improve transition over time (including from pre-school settings into Reception, and from Reception into Year 1);   
			  test out new innovative approaches to partnership working.   
			 
			 Diploma Consortia Diploma consortia are the groups of partners and providers who come together to deliver one or more of the new Diploma lines. A Diploma consortium has responsibility for:  Delivering particular lines of learning including ensuring facilities are fit for purpose and securing employers' involvement; 
			  Ensuring member institutions collaborate effectively to deliver the Diploma;   
			  Providing Information Advice Guidance through peer advice and mentoring, opportunities for tasters and other experiential learning, building on commitments in the Children's Plan;   
			  Marketing to young people, parents and carers;   
			  Preparing workforce and deploying them effectively; and   
			  Logistical planning of learner numbers, timetabling and transport.   
			 
			 14-19 Partnerships 14-19 Partnerships Delivery of 14-19 education requires a collaborative approach and the involvement of several partners. There is therefore a 14-19 Partnership of some form in every area. The 14-19 Partnership has a strategic role in: 14.5 million distributed to LAs as 14-19 flexible funding. Only some of this will be spent on partnership working at the LA's discretion. Flexible funding: 14.5 million. This will be added to the area based grant in 2008/09. Again only part of this will be spent on partnership work and that will be at the LA's discretion. 
			  agreeing the local vision for 14-19 that is consistent with the wider Sustainable Community Strategy, Children and Young People's Plan and Local Area Agreement;   
			  developing and articulating strategies for the full range of 14-19 priorities; and   
			  supporting Diploma consortia so that they are ready to deliver.   
			 
			 Behaviour and Attendance Partnerships In Nov. 2004 the Sec. of State signalled an expectation that all secondary schools (including academies, special schools and PRUs) would be working together in partnerships to improve behaviour and tackle persistent absence by Sept 2007. The partnerships are based on the idea that schools will be able to deal more effectively with challenging pupils if they can share expertise, resources and facilities for that purpose. Schools partnerships are voluntary, typically comprising 6-10 secondary schools, although primary and middle schools can join. Schools and local authorities have been encouraged to work in partnership through a series of Ministerial letters, and supported via several rounds of regional workshops, on-line guidance, and extensive support from the National Strategies. No additional funding available from the Dept. for partnership working. These partnerships to be made mandatory under the Children, Skills and Learning Bill. Safer School Partnerships - a voluntary arrangement between schools, police and other agencies. No DCSF or Home Office programme budget but some limited, pump-priming support available to some LAs in this FY. n/a n/a 
			 Community Cohesion - School Linking The Government investment in the Schools Linking Network will provide:   
			  A new national website - www.schoolslinkingnetwork.org.uk to allow all schools in England to seek a linking partner on-line, with support from the Schools Linking Network. The website will also hold resources and training materials. 125.7k 731k 
			  Pilot projects in 40 local authorities to facilitate school linking by providing support and training, including guidance, materials and training for local authority personnel, teachers and other staff embarking on a linking project.   
			 
			 Extended Schools A key way of delivering Every Child Matters, an extended school works with local providers, agencies (and in many cases other schools) to provide access to a core offer of extended services: a varied range of activities including study support activities for primary and secondary schools; childcare 8am-6pm, all year round for primary schools; parenting and family support; swift and easy access to specialist services such as speech therapy; community use of facilities including adult and family learning and ICTthese will often be provided beyond the school day but not necessarily by teachers or on the school site. In 2008-09 to 2010-11 a total of 1.3 billion of funding will be made available. This funding is to support the delivery of the extended schools core offer and not just to help schools work in partnership together. 238 million 297.5 million 
			 
			 Independent School/State School Partnership The Independent/State Schools Partnerships Scheme aims to break down barriers between the independent and state school sectors, share expertise and good practice, widen educational opportunities, and raise standards in education. The focus of the scheme is on gifted and talented pupils with the aim of increasing the numbers of children applying for university places from communities where educational aspirations are traditionally low. In particular, priority will be given to proposals that aim to increase the uptake of, and attainment in, maths, science and modern foreign languages. 1 million 1.5 million (approx) 
			 Academy Federations The Academy Federation pathfinder, established in 2007, is a pilot project involving 10 federations, in which a low attaining school becomes an Academy and is federated with a strong school, which becomes either an Academy or a Trust school. Funding of up to 300,000 per scheme is available for the strong school to undertake work to support the partner school to become an Academy. The capacity funding is integrated into the funding normally made available for academy projects prior to opening, and is determined on a case by case basis. n/a Up to 300,000 per project. 
			 
			 London Performance Collaborative The London Performance Collaborative is a group of London secondary schools working together to raise pupil's attainment. 415,000 19,545 
			 
			 London Primary Schools Working in Partnership Small groups of schools working together on a particular theme, such as attainment in mathematics or English. none Up to 450,000 
			 
			 Leading Edge The Leading Edge Partnership programme enables groups of schools to work together to improve pupil outcomes at key stages 3 and 4, particularly amongst the lowest attaining schools in the partnership. Leading Edge Schools get additional funding of between 60,000 and 90,000 (depending on pupil numbers) p.a. and there is also funding for managing the Programme. 12.5 million paid to Leading Edge Schools. 925,000 was the cost of managing the Programme (via a contract). 13.4 million expected to be paid to Leading Edge Schools. 925,000 expected cost of managing the Programme (via a contract). 
			 Trust Schools Trust Schools work with partners from the private, voluntary and public sectors. Many Trust Schools share their Trust with other schools, and so it becomes a forum for school-to-school partnership working. The very first Trust Schools were provided with up to 15,000 as pathfinder support. Schools looking to acquire a Trust are currently able to access up to 10,000 support. The total money given directly to schools looking to acquire a Trust was 1.25 million. The Department contracted advice and support for Early Adopters from the TFSP (i.e. a consortium of the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, Youth Sports Trust and FASNA) at a cost of 1,751,098. Successful applications from local authorities to the Standards and Diversity Fund to support collaborations (Federations and Trust) totalled 14.3 million. The contract with the TFSP consortium to provide advice and support to schools looking to acquire trust status is expected to cost 3.286 million in 08-09. The Department expects to make up to 2.47 million available to support Trust School projects this year. Further capital funding is available via the Standards and Diversity Fund from 2008-09 to 2010-11 to support federations and Trust school proposals. 
			 
			 Federations Schools in a federation operate through a single shared governing body, or have joint committees of their governing bodies. The federation model itself can generate financial savings and efficiencies for schools and all schools have the flexibility in their budgets to invest in collaboration. Working together through formal shared governance structures enables schools to raise standards and maintain local provision by sharing resources, staff, expertise, and facilities. The variety of models offered by federation makes it adaptable to suit individual contexts, and local needs and objectives. There is some capital funding available to support federations via the Standards and Diversity Fund (targeted capital funding). Successful applications from local authorities to the Standards and Diversity Fund in 2007-08 to support federations and Trust school capital proposals totalled 14.3 million. 120,000 via the National College for School Leadership to support federation schools working with a shared School Business Manager. Further capital funding is available via the Standards and Diversity Fund from 2008-09 to 2010-11 to support federations and Trust school proposals. The department will hold conferences for rural primary schools to provide an opportunity for schools to find out more about federation and to learn from the experiences of others. 
			The Department will also publish: 
			new simplified guidance to help schools to form a federation; 
			new case studies of federations between schools in rural areas to share best practice and to demonstrate the potential efficiencies and other benefits; 
			reports from research currently being undertaken with clusters of schools to identify the benefits that closer collaborative working and pooling of resources would generate for children and staff. This research will provide clear examples to schools which will support governors and heads as they consider close partnership working. 
			 
			 Education Improvement Partnerships In Education Improvement Partnerships, schools collaborate to deliver services that would usually be delivered by their Local Authority. Where the LA has funding for the delivery of these services they may decide, locally, to devolve this funding to the schools. The Department keeps no record of this. n/a n/a

Science: GCSE

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of pupils in maintained schools were entered for individual science GCSE examinations in  (a) biology,  (b) chemistry and  (c) physics in each year since 1992.

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of  (a) maintained,  (b) specialist science,  (c) grammar and  (d) independent schools offered triple science GCSE courses in physics, chemistry and biology in each year since 1992.

Jim Knight: The Department does not hold information on which subjects are offered by schools. However, the Department aims to encourage all schools to make triple science available to all pupils who could benefit. The Learning and Skills Network is providing practical support and guidance to schools on triple science.
	Specifically, by September 2008 all pupils achieving at least level 6+ at key stage 3 will be entitled to study triple science GCSE, for example through collaborative arrangements with other schools, further education colleges and universities; and all specialist science schools will offer triple science at least to all pupils achieving level 6+ at the end of key stage 3.
	Furthermore, we will expect all engineering and technology colleges to offer triple science from September 2009; and all mathematics and computing colleges to offer triple science from September 2010.

Social Services: Complaints

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many complaints were made against children's social services departments in West Chelmsford constituency in the latest period for which figures are available.

Beverley Hughes: This information is not collected centrally. However, local authorities are required to keep a record of:
	each representation/complaint received;
	the outcome of each, that is, the decisions made in response to the representation/complaint and any action to be taken; and
	whether there was compliance with the time limits.
	Each local authority must produce an annual report drawing on this information. This report should not contain personal information that is identifiable about any individual complainant.

Teachers: Manpower

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 10 December 2008,  Official Report, columns 187-88W, on teachers: pay, how many staff in local authority maintained schools were employed as  (a) teachers,  (b) teaching assistants and  (c) support staff in (i) 1996-97 and (ii) 2007-08 in (A) Vale of York constituency and (B) England.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of teachers, teaching assistants and support staff employed in local authority maintained schools in the Vale of York constituency and England, January 1997 and 2008.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent teachers( 1) , teaching assistants( 2)  and support staff( 3)  in local authority maintained schools y ears: 1997 and 2008 , c overage: Vale of York constituency and England 
			   January 
			   1997  2008 
			  Vale of York constituency   
			 Teachers(4) 660 770 
			 Teaching assistants(4) 60 300 
			 Support staff(3,)( )(4) 150 480 
			
			  England   
			 Teachers(5) 399,180 434,870 
			 Teaching assistants(4) 60,580 175,660 
			 Support staff(3,)( )(4) 133,480 322,400 
			 (1) Includes qualified and unqualified teachers. (2) 'Teaching assistants' include teaching assistants, special needs support staff and minority ethnic pupil support staff. (3) Includes teaching assistants. (4) Source: School Census. (5) Source: Annual Survey of Teachers in Service and Teacher Vacancies, 618g.  Notes: 1. Excludes academies and city technology colleges. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.